The Firefly in the War
by yesimadramaqueen
Summary: Three years after Miranda, Serenity suddenly finds herself in the middle of a war…the one they created. It's worse than anyone could have imagined. Both militaries will do anything to secure a victory, and the crew is caught in the crossfire. Between battles, relationships grow and stakes are raised. Can they end the war and hold onto one another? A Mal/River romance/suspense
1. Chapter 1

**The Firefly in the War**

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**Summary**_**: **__Three years after Miranda, Serenity suddenly finds herself in the middle of a war…the one they created. It's worse than anyone could have imagined. Both militaries will do anything to secure a victory, and the crew is caught in the crossfire. Between battles, relationships grow and stakes are raised. Many things have happened in three years, and tragedy has forged strong bonds. However, it is the captain and his pilot who have become the closest of friends. When the Verse and their family are on the line, could it be that Mal and River hold the key to salvation? Will light come from darkness? Can they end the war and hold onto one another?___

**Rating: T **_(For violence)_

**Couples: **_This is an establishing Mal/River fan fiction with other couples in supporting roles _

**Genre: **_Romance, action, suspense, drama, humor, some fluff_

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_**Chapter One: The Turtle and the Setup**_

"You're goin' a bit fast there," Mal warned as he stood in the middle of the bridge. River gave him a typical River look. "What? I don't want to make a hole in this nice planet."

"Piloting for three years, Captain. Know what I'm doing," she hummed, steering with her toes.

"Don't do that. I hate it when you do that. Can you not do that?"

"What?" she asked innocently as she wiggled her foot.

He shuddered, attempting to push the images of Serenity in little, burning pieces strewn about the surface. It wasn't that he lacked faith in River's piloting abilities. She was a fine pilot, and she did have three years under her belt. Honestly, he was convinced that the tiny slip of a witch was channeling Wash's spirit.

He'd catch her playing with his dinosaurs on occasion, and sometimes she'd wear one of his tacky shirts like a robe. Zoe gave it to her when she flew by herself for the first time, stating it was the last of her late husband's clothes and it should stay with a real pilot. The warrior women had bonded, albeit an odd sort of friendship. Everyone bonded with River, even Jayne to a degree, but Mal had certainly acquired the strongest relationship with her.

Even so, she was scaring the hell out of him.

"River…I'm going to ask you real nice like to put your hands on the gorram wheel one last time or I will take control of my boat."

She giggled and batted her big eyelashes at him. "Yes, Captain. Since you asked nicely."

As they started their decent, she switched over to her hand and Mal grabbed the co-pilot's chair. "River, slow down. Slow. Slow. Slow!"

Without even shaking the ship, she landed perfectly. Mal's face was whiter than one of Simon's pressed shirts. He heard the reader giggling again and singing softly, "Higher velocity in the descent is not a problem if you calculate the rate of the wind and the effects of gravity at the angle of landing. Strong wind and obtuse angles counter the high speed."

She ended with a wide smile, and he shook his head with a stoic expression not unlike Zoe's. "You just like scaring me."

"Exploiting your lack of trust, Captain."

"I trust you. It's just that I ain't used to your fancy tricks yet."

"One thousand, two hundred and seventy-nine days, twenty-three hours and nine seconds, and you have yet to adapt to my eccentric and mathematically sound maneuvers."

"That ain't true. I'm very good at adapting. Just 'cause you can fly with the best of them doesn't mean that something can't go wrong. You could of slipped off the wheel or who knows what."

She tilted her head to one side as she made a calculation. "I will choose not to take offense. Your stubbornness and extremely tight pants are to blame for your grouchiness."

His brow furrowed and lips drooped. "Hey."

"It is an accurate statement, Captain."

He hated how she would say it. _Captain_. It was quick and stiff, almost like she was chiding him for something. Sure, he liked that she respected his authority, but they were friends. It didn't have to sound so formal. She had learned that tone from her doc brother, of course.

"Don't blame Simon," she smirked as she spun in the chair. "His vest is tighter than your pants."

That caused a chuckle to bubble in his throat. "This is true, little albatross. Now, since Jayne and Zoe will be with me on this job, you're in charge. I conjure that a pilot should pull rank on the mechanic and her doc boyfriend."

She couldn't hide her enthusiasm. This was only the second time she was left in charge in the history of her time aboard the ship, and it showed just how much Mal believed in her. It surely hadn't started that way. After Miranda, they spent countless hours flying Serenity. He was too scared to leave her alone for the first few months, so they would talk or sit in a comfortable silence. Those moments led to a peculiar bond. Soon, they spent time together besides flying their boat. However, it was tragedy that truly brought them together.

For once, Mal found the courage to ask Inara to stay on Serenity. She gladly accepted and they began their relationship. Months after Miranda, she finally revealed the secret that she tried so desperately to escape. She didn't have much time left in the Verse. It was a rare disease that she inherited, and it had caught up to her at last. Their relationship only lasted six months before her health deteriorated. Simon did all that he could, but there were no modern cures. Mal laid beside her in the shuttle for a final night, as when he woke she was gone.

He refused to talk about it with anyone. If he sat with Kaylee, she would cry and try to mourn with him. Simon would speak medical jargon to explain that it couldn't be helped. Jayne would attempt to take him out for drinks and women. Zoe understood because she lost Wash, but they were both too reserved to discuss such topics. Vulnerability wasn't allowed between soldiers, so Zoe knew to avoid the captain when she could and act normal when they had to work together. It was like they were trying too hard to pretend they were both all right.

River was the only one that he felt comfortable around. She didn't talk about it. She didn't say much at all actually, and he didn't have to say anything either. She could feel what he was going through, so he felt almost safe sitting with her on the bridge. He didn't have to _try_ be open; it was automatic. When they chose to speak, it was never about his pain or loss. Through her metaphors and technical talk, he found a weird form of therapy. To know that she heard everything in his mind and it didn't change anything between them, well…it happened to change everything. Though his heart healed in time, the scar remained. If it wasn't for his odd little pilot, he would have lost his mind and maybe even his life.

However, at that very moment, he was getting annoyed by the slip of a girl. "River, don't let the power go to that genius head of yours."

She was in a pair of his suspenders and standing in her best captainy pose on the catwalk of the cargo bay. "Must be the captain, Captain. She's going to make her brother do the laundry."

"Maybehaps you didn't hear me before, but I believe that I told you to _not_ let the power go to your head."

"_Genius_ head. Kaylee has to clean the kitchen after she cleans the engine. Captain's orders."

He smirked at how happy he had made her. "Fine. Boss them around all you want. Just make sure I don't have a mutiny when I get back."

"Understood, Captain."

They shared a nod as Mal retreated down the steps to Jayne and Zoe. She looked up at River with a curious expression. "Is she in your suspenders?"

"Don't ask. Let's get this job over with."

While they left to meet their contact, River gave her orders to Simon and Kaylee. At first, they didn't believe that she was really in charge, but they then realized that Mal hadn't spoken to either of them. He usually told Kaylee to watch Serenity, and this time he didn't even wave goodbye. Reluctantly, they gave River her moment and went about their chores.

Upon reaching their contact, Mal noticed immediately that something was wrong. Their friend, Turtle as he was called, wasn't sitting at his usual table. He also lacked his usual whiskey. In fact, he lacked anything to drink at all. His body was restless and twitchy. As his head looked about the tiny bar, his finger went to his ear and his lips moved.

"This ain't right. It just might be a setup," Mal murmured to his crew.

"We don't got any money, Mal," Jayne reminded him. "Last I checked, we were almost out of ammunition and food. I think we have to check it out."

Zoe sighed. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with Jayne. We can't back out if it's legit."

"If you sense any trouble, we get out. This is the perfect place for an ambush," Mal muttered to the others with another worried glance at Turtle.

They slowly sat around the table, which was positioned in the back corner of the joint. Turtle forced a shaky grin and nervously played with the tiny strip of hair dangling from his chin. "So, I have a job. Real simple. I need some illegal rations moved. You get forty percent."

That was another sign. Turtle always started at twenty percent and allowed them to haggle. Mal's eyes swept the place, but he didn't see anything odd. "Where are the goods?"

"I have them in an old barn outside of town. It's only five or ten minutes from here on foot. Less than that by mule."

Zoe noticed as well that this was wrong. It was too close to town and far too noticeable. His goods were always two hours away or even hidden on a nearby moon. This reeked of deceit. She decided to press for more information. "What about the buyer? Where are they?"

"I haven't gotten their location yet. They said they'd send it once I had a smuggler."

It was Jayne's turn to understand the situation. Turtle was never so sloppy. He sent a sideways glance to the others, and both Mal and Zoe nodded in understanding. They pulled their guns beneath the table and Turtle leapt jumpily at the sight. His voice stuttered and sweat filled his cheeks. "What the hell are ya doing here?"

"Funny, I was going to ask you the same question. This is all wrong and you know it. It's a setup. Who exactly are you working with? Who wants us? Or is it the ship?" Mal pressed while readying his gun to fire.

Turtle's eyes were laden with guilt. "I'm sorry, Mal. You know that I consider you and yours one of my own, but I had no choice. They said they'd kill me."

"Who?"

On the ship, Simon was searching for firefly class ships while doing laundry. His encyclopedia sat atop the closed washer as he folded various articles of clothing. Kaylee asked him to search for other ships, for she needed a few unique parts for the engine. To his surprise, Serenity was one of the first ones mentioned. A bright red banner crossed the page. Their ship was wanted and for a hefty reward.

"Kaylee! River!" he shouted. "There's something interesting. It's the ship. It's listed as a threat. They're willing to pay a fortune for us."

Someone ran by the room and he popped his head into the hallway. River was running like something was wrong. She briefly glanced behind her. "I know, Simon. They're in trouble."

"Who?"

Mal glared at Turtle and asked the question again. "Who would kill you, Turtle?"

"Just go to the barn. Please. Or pretend to go. I'll say that you're going and you can run. Maybe I'll escape."

"Jus' tell us already," Jayne grunted. "We don't got all day."

Turtle's finger went to his ear and his face fell. "Oh no. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. They have the place under surveillance. They know that you figured it out. They're coming. We have to run."

"Who? Who is coming?" Mal growled for a final time.

The man named for a reptile lowered his head. "They want you and your ship. Serenity and her crew…they stared everything."

"Everything?" Zoe echoed.

His words hit like a bomb. "The Alliance wants you. Bad. They won't stop until you're theirs…for good this time."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two: She Dances **_

Men in Alliance uniforms stormed into the establishment from all sides. Mal, Jayne, and Zoe instantly backed against the wall. Turtle tried to run, but he was the first shot. They regarded him with a somber glance, as he was truly a great contact until the end. Everyone inside the backwater bar pulled their weapons and added fuel to the fire. The patrons all lived by the old adage: shoot first and ask later. Their addition to the fight helped and hindered the entire situation. Mal flipped their table over as a makeshift shield, and they crouched to start shooting.

The trained men were clearly the better shots than the patrons. Most everyone without an Alliance uniform besides the trio were shot, killed, or running away with their tails between their legs. Regardless, shots echoed outside. No doubt, the entire building was surrounded and the fleeing men were killed on sight. To make matters worse, their table was getting weaker by the second. They were able to take a few men out, but new men took their place.

"We're in it now!" Jayne hissed over the noise. "I should of brought a grenade!"

"I can't believe I'm agreeing with you, but you're right!" Mal retorted as he shot one in the chest. "Zoe, what can you make of it?"

She shook her head gravely. "We're pinned and running out of bullets. We could try for the window near the bathroom, but we'd have to get through fifteen or so men with more firing at us from behind. Maybe one of us could make a play for the other guns while we cover them. At least we could get more ammo."

"We're done in," Jayne responded darkly. "Ain't no way somebody would live through that. I say Mal should do it."

"Hey! You should do it! You're bigger and could take more bullets!"

Before Zoe could make a snarky remark about being surrounded by children, a scream sounded on the outside of the bar. Several more followed. Frantic gunfire added to the noise, but it stopped with more screams. Mal peeked over the table to see the door kicked in by a combat boot. The gunfire stopped as River Tam stood in the doorway with her hair covering her face. A gun was in one hand while a knife was in the other. Everyone was confused, especially Mal. No, Mal wasn't confused. Mal was mortified. This wasn't a place for her. The odds were bad even for a skilled assassin. If she died…he didn't want to think about that…

She smiled prettily and announced, "Time to dance."

Just like that, the killer girl began her number. She emptied the cartridge in merely seconds, and the first wave of soldiers were done. She threw the knife into the skull of the man farthest from her. As they fired at her slender frame, she flipped onto the bar and began kicking glasses and bottles. They took down more men, but for the final few she went in with a magnificent leap. Her feet landed on one man, and she took down the rest with only her hands and bloody knife. No enemy was left alive. The room was still.

"Gorram," Jayne muttered. "I knew that moonbrain was tough, but seein' it is different than walkin' over Reaver corpses…"

Zoe grinned at her friend with a sense of relief and pride. "Good work, River."

Mal didn't have the same feelings. His expression was hard and angry. Inside, he was a nervous wreck. One false move, and she could have been riddled with holes and bleeding out on the floor. "I left you in charge of the ship. You shouldn't of come."

"Saved your lives," she argued. "Born dancer has to dance. Inevitable."

He brushed by her and out the door across more bodies. Jayne shrugged and followed him with a comment to the girl, "Er…thanks…I guess."

Zoe put a hand on River's shoulder as she felt wounded by the captain's behavior. They got back to the ship as quickly as they could. Luckily, River had placed it in a secure location and the Alliance had yet to find it. When they got onboard, Simon checked for injuries and then rounded on his mei mei.

"What were you thinking? That was far too dangerous! If you continue to run off on a whim, you're going to get yourself killed, River!"

Mal stood at Simon's shoulder as backup. "We had it under control."

"Sir, we didn't…" Zoe defended the youngest Tam with a respectful nod.

"Yeah. The crazy killer girl got us out. Don't matter if she could of been shot. She wasn't and we escaped. Where's the problem?"

"I can't believe I'm sayin' this, but I agree with Jayne…" Kaylee squeaked from the back of the group.

"Why's everyone sayin' that?" Jayne grumbled.

Simon was appalled. "You agree, Kaylee?"

"Well, Simon, I know you're protective and all, but River's part of this crew. We're all in danger at some point or another. She made a decision, and this time it worked out."

River went to her brother with a faint smile. "You've always protected me. Not a broken girl anymore, Simon. Have to grow up. Do what's right. Protect the family. Keep flying. You can trust me."

"I do trust you, mei mei. I'm always going to worry."

"It would be exceedingly suspicious if your mind were devoid of all anxiety and agitation in regards to your sister or any particular subject."

The Tams shared a moment before River suddenly darted towards the bridge with a horrified appearance. Everyone followed as the ship began to take off. Mal was the first to arrive with a curious expression. "Little albatross?"

"The Alliance. They were about to find Serenity."

"We're wanted for a hefty bounty, Captain," Simon added. "I found it when I was on my encyclopedia. We're marked as highly dangerous."

Zoe's eyebrow curved. "Do we know why the Alliance is after us this time? Is it just for you and River, or is it the whole crew?"

"Whole ship and crew," Kaylee spoke nervously. "No tellin' why. Didn't say nothing anywhere we looked."

River drew her knees to her chest. "They're afraid. Sparked a greater fear. Terrified children on the first day of school. Don't know what to expect. Don't want to learn. Just want to go home. To be safe again. To be lost in ignorance. About to be taught a lesson. I can't calculate the details. Only know the feeling. Darkness. Blacker than the black. It's coming."

Silence covered the bridge like a dusty shroud. Jayne was the first to speak. "Her creepifying words still scare the hell out of me. Gorram witch with her ghost stories. She ain't ever wrong."

"Well, it ain't here yet. I conjure that we should find ourselves another job and keep flying," Mal declared as everyone made noises in agreement. "Set a course for Kerry. I know a guy that might have something for us."

River set the course and the crew slowly left to unwind. Simon and Mal were the last crew members in the bridge after the others dispersed. Simon embraced River to show that he had calmed down and accepted that she did what was necessary. Granted, he would never be happy about her relationship with danger. She almost seemed to seek it out. Then again, they were criminals. Danger was a constant friend.

When he left, Mal sighed and sat heavily in the copilot's chair. They didn't say anything for the longest time. She knew what he was going to say and why he waited to be alone with her, but she also knew that he needed to tell her in his own way and time. Close to thirty minutes later, the words dripped from his mouth like water from a leaky drainpipe.

"You could of gotten yourself killed and you left my ship. The Alliance could of found it while you were gone and my boat wouldn't have a pilot. What you did was not just risky but against my orders."

She refused to speak for a few minutes. In that moment, Mal wished that he was the mind-reading genius. At least he'd know what she was thinking instead of going half mad. His brain silently pleaded for a response. Though she heard it, she made him wait until she could work up the nerve to say it.

"That isn't why you're upset, Captain."

"It is. I don't much like having my crew disobey me."

"Did not disobey. Left in charge. Made a decision. Knew the Alliance couldn't find Serenity yet. Knew you needed me. So, I ran. Captain saving her crew. Her family. Would have done the same in my position."

He hated having a quarrel with their resident psychic. "That ain't the point."

"Exactly. You aren't angry, Captain. Anger is a mask. Hides the truth. I see through plastic layers and false noses. See beneath it. You are scared. Scared that you'll hurt."

"I am not scared. I'm not scared of anything."

"Liar. All humans experience fear. Fear is a primal instinct. Keeps us alive. Holds us back. Perfect balance. Essential. You were terrified. Didn't want to lose me too."

His jaw set and he swallowed the knot in his throat. "Let me know when we reach Kerry."

With that, he stood and left her to the bridge. The captain retreated to his bunk and kicked the wall. She was right. He didn't want to lose her. That fact sent chills through his spine. Sure, he didn't want to lose any of his crew. They were a family. But, there was something about that slip of a witch that pulled at his guarded heart. If she died, he thought that he just might die with her.

Meanwhile, the rest of the crew were back in the cargo bay. Zoe was Jayne's spotter as he lifted weights, and the happy couple sat on the crates near them. They were discussing their current situation and the captain and pilot.

"I'm thinkin' that maybe those Alliance fellas are gonna pay us back for Miranda," Jayne suggested between lifts.

Simon sighed in distress. "But, why now? Why take three years to come after the ship?"

"Maybe someone different is in office. Priorities and policies change in politics," Zoe offered as she added weights for Jayne.

"River seems to think it's gonna be bad," Kaylee shrugged. "It could be somethin' new. Somethin' she didn't knew she remembered."

"It's possible," Simon nodded. "The new medications have improved her psychosis and nearly eliminated her nightmares, but that means that we're in the dark. If she does know something, it wouldn't even occur to her. The medications suppress stressful memories."

Zoe intervened so they wouldn't go crazy wondering about the unknown. "I think the captain was right. We shouldn't worry on it. Just live our lives and be alert for now.

"Works for me," Kaylee agreed as she grabbed Simon by the sleeve. "C'mon, honey. I wanna show you what I did to the engine this afternoon."

As they went off in a cuddly manner, Jayne grunted. "Ever bother you that we're the only single people on this ship?"

"Mal and River aren't with anyone."

"Zo, you seen the way they are. I bet they're sneakin' around together."

"He's still hurting. Inara's death hit him harder than he'd admit. But, I don't think you're wrong about the way they are. Maybe in time."

Jayne finished his workout and sat up with a gloomy expression. "Well, maybe. I've learnt in four years that the crazy girl is right 'bout most things. If she is right now, none of us will get time for anything."

"Try not to go there, Jayne. One day at time. That's what it's about. We'll make it through. We always do."

However, the crew of Serenity was not at all prepared for what was to come.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter three: Picnics and Predictions**_

One month passed by the crew of Serenity without incident. They relied on jobs from trusted contacts, and they took care to find safe routes between jobs. As they gained more money and peaceful days, they fell into a false sense of security. River could feel the approaching storm, but it was too ambiguous to comprehend. Work, her brother, and her captain distracted her most of the time. In fact, everyone was happily distracted. Overall, the crew couldn't be better.

To their delight, they had enough money to take a day or two on a decent moon. When they touched down, Mal was already on the bridge with River. He glanced at her with a handsome smile. "Are you gonna go have some fun with the rest of us criminals?"

Her head tilted to the side. "Fun. A time or feeling of enjoyment or amusement."

"That…would be the definition. But, I didn't ask you what it meant. I asked if you're looking to partake in the funness."

"Funness isn't a word."

"And mind readers ain't supposed to be real."

She thoughtfully paused. "Banter."

"Banter?"

"That was fun."

He shook his head, always amused by her quirkiness. "All I'm saying is that you have my order to leave the ship and have a good day. In fact, I'm gonna order everyone to blow off some steam. It's been a mite uncomfortable with the Alliance hunting us like deer. I need my crew focused when we're back to work to avoid any unpleasantness that might ensue. It'd help if they'd stop complaining about how I have tight pants and won't let anybody have a good time these days."

"Both statements are correct. Pants are tight and complaints have been fairly warranted."

He frowned. "I let people have fun," he stopped as he got a typical River glare. "Well, when we ain't working."

"The ratio of time spent working to not working is—"

"Okay, okay. Stop the math before you hurt my pretty head."

"Pretty?"

This time, he glowered and began to leave. "I get it. We've been working too hard. But, here we are. I said okay to this mini vacation thing, so it better loosen everybody up."

She popped out of the pilot's chair and skipped to his side. "Can we have a picnic?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Picnic?"

"Yes. An informal meal prepared for the purpose of consuming in the open air of a planet's atmosphere. The food goes in a basket. The basket is important."

"I know what a picnic is. If you really wanna go…I guess. Though, we don't got a basket."

"It's important. Can't go without one."

"Why is a basket so gorram important? I'm actually agreeing to a picnic and you're saying we can't go without a basket?"

She stuck out her bottom lip, pouting. "Tradition."

He sighed. "Maybehaps Kaylee has one or knows where one is."

A grin crossed her face and she hugged the captain, floating off to find Kaylee. Mal shook his head, muttering about her persuasive eyes, and walked to the nearest intercom unit. "Everybody, this is the captain. We're taking the day off…for a picnic…and somebody find a ruttin' basket."

Jayne appeared out of his bunk and tapped Mal on the shoulder. "A picnic?"

"Not my idea. Just be glad I ain't working you. Go grab some food."

"Can I bring the good whiskey? And my guitar?"

"As long as there's no getting drunk or songs about you being a hero."

Jayne mocked laughter and wandered into the kitchen. The squeals could be heard throughout the ship as Kaylee and River ran into the kitchen with a beat up basket. Mal followed the noise and rubbed his temples when he saw the battered wicker container.

"Look, Cap'in!" Kaylee exclaimed with enthusiasm. "I found it! I used this to carry back some wrenches and whatnots a few years back. I forgot I had it wedged behind a few things 'til we started digging. Oh, this will be shiny!"

Simon entered with a smile for River and Kaylee. "This must be about the picnic."

They nodded and continued talking as they shoved Jayne out of the way to pack food for the day.

"Why exactly are we having a picnic?" Simon questioned with a perplexed look. Mal went to answer the doc, but River summed it up shortly.

"I asked. Captain agreed. Trying to stop the complaints."

"You mean the complaints about us sayin' we work too damn hard and don't get to relax?" Zoe questioned, joining the group. "I don't know why people would be saying that, sir."

"All right, I want everyone to be calm-like, okay? This is a vacation, but it'll probably be some time before we get another. Take in while you can."

They all grumbled unenthusiastically at their captain and began to exit the ship for a serene day. River had the heavy basket on her arm, and she led the way with a bounce in her step. She was moving too fast for most of the group, so Simon caught up to her and tried to help by taking the basket. She pointedly took it back and kept skipping. He sighed, "You're such a brat!"

She paused, sticking her tongue out, and continued on her way. Simon ran after her, Kaylee ran after Simon, and Mal ran after them. Zoe and Jayne didn't bother trying to keep up. Eventually, they found River in a clearing, standing with her head tilted to the clouds.

Kaylee brought a blanket and spread it across the grass. Simon went to River, quietly asking, "River?"

"Clouds. They look solid, but they aren't. Push and you fall through. Water vapor. Waiting to collect. Waiting to fall. The cycle. Rain will come and wash everything away. Nothing is solid. Everything falls. Washed away. Gone. Cycle continues. It has to. No one can hold onto what they've lost. We all lose. That one looks like a duck. Quack."

Simon grinned and led her to the blanket where she plopped down next to Mal. He looked at her briefly with a mouth full of protein mush. Kaylee was snuggling with Simon, so River made a face and glanced at Zoe and Jayne instead. Jayne was playing his guitar as Zoe took a shot of liquor. She lightly elbowed him in the ribs.

"Ouch! What's that for!" Jayne grumbled.

"You should play the other one. The one with the upbeat tempo."

"You could of just asked me, Zo."

"Where's the fun in that?" she laughed.

He switched songs and Kaylee stood up, pulling Simon with her to dance. They began to twirl around the field and laugh together. River watched for a moment and reached across, touching Zoe's hand. "I know."

Though Zoe was tougher than nails, there were times that the young couple reminded her too much of Wash. As happy as she was for them, her grief bled deep into her soul. The captain had a similar feeling from time to time. Inara would pop into his mind and he'd only push it away. Today, he was delightedly distracted and a million miles from the past.

River merely added to the distraction. The graceful assassin stretched across his lap like a purring cat, and it made Mal very agitated. "River? What—you—why—?"

"Shush, Captain. Finding faces in clouds. That one looks like Jayne riding a unicorn."

"It ain't on no unicorn, moonbrain!" he hissed, still plucking guitar strings. "It'd be a regular horse with a knife on its head."

She laughed and idly played with Mal's suspender strap. Again, Mal felt a bit uncomfortable at her comfort…and his own…with their positioning. "River, can you, not…?"

"Enjoy it while you can, Captain. Smiling faces don't last."

"Aren't we supposed to be relaxing, sir?" Zoe inquired with a raised eyebrow. He went to answer and she stopped him, "So _relax_."

He huffed and tried to ignore the slender fingers playing with his straps. Simon was too enthralled in his girlfriend to notice his sister across the captain. "You are beautiful," he whispered against her ear.

"And you're handsome and smart and way too proper," Kaylee replied as she ghosted kisses along his jaw. "You are stuck with me, doctor."

"I wouldn't want it any other way."

They kissed briefly and sweetly. Kaylee glanced past him and finally noticed River draped across Mal. The captain looked stiff, but he was looking down at her and gently prying a strand of her hair from her face. "Simon," she said carefully, "You notice that Mal and River are awful close nowadays?"

He thought for a moment. "Yes, but she's that way with everyone. Zoe has taken her in, and Jayne has accepted her in his own way. But, the captain has really become taken with her. They're such good friends. It's nice to see."

"Yeah, it is. It's just."

"What?"

"Mal and her are different."

"I know."

"Know?"

"He risked his ship for her. I think they're like…father and daughter…or brother and sister."

Kaylee glanced at them again, spotting River tugging on his suspenders and his arm cradling her head. "Sure, Simon. Whatever you say…"

River stared at the captain's jaw with a frown. He felt her big eyes on him and inquired, "What? I got protein on my lip or something?"

"You need to shave."

"I do?"

"Yes," she answered as she carefully trailed a finger across his face. Before he could say anything about it, she picked up on Kaylee's gaze. "Must cut in."

"What?" Mal stuttered over the pounding of his heart in his ears.

River popped up and ran over to her brother and his beloved girlfriend. She cut in on the dancing and Kaylee joined the blanket. She playfully bumped Jayne's shoulder with a smirk. "Play that song Zoe likes again for River and Simon."

Jayne sighed as if it bothered him, but he secretly enjoyed making everyone—especially Zoe—smile. Mal smirked and moved his thumb toward the Tams. "I see you got the boot, mei mei."

"So did you, Cap'in," Kaylee laughed. He looked confused. "Please. I saw you two."

"He was just relaxing," Zoe interrupted. "Right, sir?"

Mal had no idea what they were talking about, so he just nodded.

"I'm happy for you, River."

"Why, Simon?"

"Because mei mei," he grinned, twirling her around, "You've really found home."

She smiled back. "Because of you. You saved me."

"That's what big brothers are for. I'm just glad that you're safe and have friends. A place out here."

"It's where I belong. Won't be right to leave again."

Simon looked at her strangely. "What's that mean, River?"

"Don't know. Just said it. Step quicker. You aren't doing it right."

Mal smiled at the chuckling siblings. Zoe pointed to them. "Go cut in, sir."

"I don't want to dance with Simon."

"She weren't talkin' bout Simon," Kaylee laughed.

Jayne suddenly stopped playing, cursing at the burn of the string hitting his face. "My gorram string snapped off at me!"

"Well, guess that's the end of the picnic," Mal shrugged, collecting the items back into the basket.

Everyone complained, but they began to follow him back to the ship. Simon was dragged by River in a childlike manner, and clearly the doctor enjoyed the nostalgia. Kaylee didn't feel like keeping up, so she stayed back with Jayne and discussed possible guitar lessons. Zoe was left with Mal, and they traveled in a comfortable silence. Once everyone was inside, River went back to stand on the edge of the ramp in the cargo bay. She stared at the clouds with darkness and precision.

"Everything falls. We all lose. Smiling faces. They don't last. Washed away. The cycle continues…"

Mal realized River was missing and ran back to get her. "What?" he asked upon seeing the look on her face.

"War…it is coming."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four: The Liberation War**_

"Come again?" Mal answered unsurely. River shut her eyes and swayed as if she'd fall over, so he reached out and steadied her. "River? What's going on?"

"Don't have specifics. Just know. War is coming. Waiting to pour."

"Let's get you inside."

She frantically shook her head. "Must see the clouds. They'll show her. They'll tell her. Don't tell Simon. He'll stick her with needles and make her sleep."

"And you're sure? About the…you know?" Mal question as dread soaked into his skin.

She met his gaze. "Reader. The girl knows things. Things she couldn't."

"What kind of war? We talkin' in the figurative or the literal here?"

"Fuzzy. Static in the brainpan. Emotions interfering. Blackness…" she slowly fell to her knees and sobs racked her shoulders. "She brings death. Isn't safe for anyone. Touch life and it shrivels. Hands like fire. Turn it all to ash. Burn it to cinders. Watch it glow in her eyes. She can't help it! It's her fault and she can't stop it!"

Simon heard the shouting and came running. He dropped to eye level with a hand on her back. "River? What is it?"

"One of her feelings," Mal said softly.

"I'll get some soothers—"

"Captain!" River screeched as she pawed at his pant leg. "Don't let her sleep."

Simon looked between them and sighed at the captain's glare. "Fine, no soothers."

"Stay with me," she answered, reaching up. Simon helped her through the cargo bay and to the couch outside of the infirmary.

Mal followed them, but upon reaching their destination he pointed towards his bunk. "Well, I'm going to—"

"No! No. Captain. She was speaking to you too."

"River," he responded clumsily. "I have, you know, captainy things to do."

"Stay. Please?"

He mumbled something about witches and going weak in his old age, and he sat uneasily on the other side of her. "Only for a little while."

She stretched across them both, her head in Mal's lap and her feet in Simon's. After an awkward thirty minutes or more, she appeared to be asleep.

"I appreciate you staying, Captain," Simon whispered. He shrugged. "She likes you."

"Wha—she—how do you—" the sputtering captain shut up and regained composure, "She likes me?"

"Yes. Trusts you, I mean. She likes everyone here. They're family. But you…"

The tough criminal was reverted into a nervous schoolboy. "Me, me what? Did she say something?"

"You're special to her. I know that you two got closer flying the ship and through everything—"

He harshly cut across Simon's words. "She's crew. Simple as that."

"No, it's not. You risked everything for her. Us. So, thank you. I trust you too."

Mal relaxed and smirked. "I'm a petty thief. But, I'm glad you trust me."

"You're a good man…sometimes."

They laughed and Mal glanced at River. "She's out."

"I'll take her to her room."

He gingerly picked his little sister up and tucked her into bed. "Goodnight, River."

Simon shut the door and nodded to the captain on his way up the steps. Mal quietly padded to her room to check on his reader. Fear pooled in his gut. She was never wrong. He had to avoid it somehow. There was no way his crew, especially himself, would be in another war. It wouldn't happen. Not if he could help it.

Several hours later, their vacation was still in full swing. Zoe and Jayne decided to go hunting in the nearby woods for some real food, and Kaylee begged Simon to take her out for a fancy meal and some nightlife fun. When he came to Mal for permission, the captain waved the stuttering doctor off with a sip of his coffee.

"Don't worry about it, doc. I don't got anywhere to be anyway. I'll watch after River."

The young couple disappeared towards the nearest town. Mal checked on his pilot a few times after that, and she always seemed to be asleep. He found it odd that she'd refuse to be put to sleep by Simon, but she almost always fell asleep on her own anyhow. It probably came down to control. She didn't want to be forced into anything, which he completely understood. Besides, nobody liked needles.

Feeling bored and slightly lonely, Mal went to the bridge and sat in the pilot's chair. The gorram thing felt like River. It had her fruity perfume sunken in the seats, and it remained warm even when she hadn't been there. His fingers idly played with Wash's dinosaurs, and he instantly recalled everyone he had lost from the crew. Book. Wash. Inara. Then, he remembered everyone from the war. Some names were forgotten, but he knew faces. The thought of fighting again sent chills through his spine. Who would die next? Zoe? Jayne? Simon? Kaylee? River?

No. Not River. It couldn't be River. The idea of standing over her grave made his entire body ache. He felt the same way about the rest of his crew—his family—though something felt different about his pilot. It was a scary sort of feeling, as if he had become…dependent…on her. He didn't like that one bit.

"You're in my chair."

He leapt automatically at her voice. "Sorry, sweetheart. I didn't much know what to do with myself."

Though he went to get up, she shook her head and sat in the copilot's seat. He smiled at the sight of her. She wore Wash's blue shirt like a robe and her summer dress beneath it. Her bare toes propelled the circular motion of the chair. He couldn't help wondering if her moment had passed or she was still upset. She suddenly stopped and frowned at him.

"You're staring."

"What? No I ain't."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm all right."

"I never said you weren't."

"Thought it. I'm better now, Captain. Only just, but enough. Don't worry. Be happy. You're worse than Simon."

His lip jutted from his jaw. "I am not."

"Are too. Come with me."

"Where?"

She stood and took his hand without saying. He followed her every step. She floated like a ghost to the cargo bay where they stopped on the catwalk. Mal about had a heart attack when she climbed onto the railing and balanced. His hands reached to take her down, but she ran on the thing like it was solid ground. He had to sprint just to keep up with her. As she grew tired, she agilely sat on the railing with her feet dangling towards the cargo bay floor. Mal stood there without moving.

"Sit with me."

"I don't think that's a good idea, albatross. I'd fall over and break my pretty head on the cargo bay floor."

"You won't. Trust me."

Reluctantly, he clumsily got onto the rail and held on for dear life. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he almost tumbled to the floor. "River, what…why…?"

"Keeping you steady so you won't get hurt."

"Oh. Right…so why exactly are we on a rail?"

"We're always precariously placed on a limb awaiting disaster, Captain. Wanted to show you what I saw in my dream. War _is _coming. Darkness. Blood on desert sands. But, after the fear, there was hope. Calm. The faintest whisper. If we try hard enough, we _can_ stay together."

His eyes bugged from his head. "Together?"

"The crew."

"Right…" dear Buddha, she knew how to make him twitchy.

She grinned at her abilities and set her head on his shoulder, swinging her feet in rapid movements. "Do you know what the first rule of flying is?"

"Considering I told you the rule once upon a time, I am familiar with the notion."

"Do you know what the second rule of flying is?"

"Haven't heard that one. What is it?"

"Trust. Trust her to keep flying. To keep fighting. To keep you safe. To show you the course when you're lost. To be your home. To never leave you. And she has to trust that you'll stay. To trust that you'd care for her right back. No matter what."

Their eyes locked, and Mal wasn't sure if they were talking about flying anymore. She looked at him with those mesmerizing eyes and he felt himself slide a little closer to her. Her arms tightened around his shoulders, and their gaze never faltered. Given their usual luck, the moment was interrupted by the cargo bay door flying open.

"You sure got that one!" Jayne laughed heartily. "We'll be eatin' like kings for a month!"

They had an assortment of ducks, quail, and even a deer. Jayne had the deer around his shoulders and Zoe carried the rest by slinging them casually over her shoulder by the feet. She was the one to notice Mal and River high above them. Her fingers tapped Jayne and he glanced upwards in surprise.

"Mal, what in ruttin' hell are you doin' up there?"

"Just shootin' the breeze. I see hunting went well."

Zoe grinned with pride. "It did, sir. We might make deer jerky in the pantry and a nice fur coat for me."

"A rug for me," Jayne argued. "I killed it."

"No, my shot was the one that took it out."

River intervened. "Small rug and furry vest. Only fair."

They nodded and headed for the kitchen. Mal smiled fondly. "Look at you playin' peacemaker."

"I have my moments…" she trailed off and got that reader look in her eye again. Quickly, she stood and dragged Mal from the railing to the bridge. Her body fell into the pilot's chair and she pulled a page from the cortex. "War isn't coming, Captain. It's already here."

He leaned behind her to get a better look at the report. The footage was graphic. It showed rebels, dressed in brown attire, bomb Core cities. Then, it showed Alliance cruisers blow entire villages to pieces on a small moon. It switched to a well-dressed man with an encyclopedia for his notes. His voice was shaky but very distinct.

"It has been confirmed. The Alliance has officially waged war on the New Independents. They continue to be called the Browncoats, but they are a very different organization this time around. This new war has been named, the Liberation War. It was brought about by the exposure of Miranda just three years ago. Extremist rebels, who had not given up hope of defeating the Alliance once and for all, used this event as motivation for a second attempt at independence. They have slowly accumulated soldiers from volunteers and some drafts, and they are prepared to go the distance…

"The Alliance released the following statement: 'It is with great regret that we declare war on the New Independents. However, they threaten our very way of life and must be stopped. We send a word of caution to anyone involved with the Browncoats. We will take whatever force necessary to preserve our peaceful unification.' It is believed that this war could be more devastating than the last. The Alliance has almost eradicated the Reaver threat after the Miranda incident, but we have reports that new Reavers have appeared along the rim. If the Alliance is secretly manufacturing new Reavers, they might be used against the New Independents. The Browncoats are using these Reaver sightings as an example of the Alliance's crimes. This evidence is only circumstantial. There's no telling when this war may end."

Mal hung his head with a heavy sigh. "And, this boat is already in the middle of it. We started all this."

"Wrong. I started it."

"You did not. The Alliance did awful things to you. It ain't your fault. We were doing what was right. We couldn't of known it would come to this. I conjure the Alliance is very unhappy with us. I bet the _New_ Independents will find a use for us in their war. I know how those things work. They might capture us and taunt the Alliance. Maybehaps use us as bargaining chips. We just have to keep our heads down and step sideways 'til it's said and done."

River blankly stared at the console. "There's no escape. They will find us. It's only a matter of time."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Five: Avoidance**_

For a length of time, Mal and River sat on the bridge in silence. It had started to rain beyond the ship, but Simon and Kaylee still hadn't come back. Mal didn't want to repeat the news, so they decided to wait until everyone was around to discuss it. River wasn't in the mood for silence, so she stood and moved to the door. Mal looked with sad eyes.

"Where you goin', albatross?"

"Cargo bay. Want to feel the rain," she explained and sensed his next question. "You can come. If you want."

He simply got up and followed her towards the kitchen. It was quite unsettling to see Jayne wrestling with a dead deer on the table and Zoe plucking feathers by the sink. They were too busy with their tasks to even notice Mal and River slip by them. Once they reached the cargo bay, River lowered the ramp and went into the open. She let the rain wash away the fear and darkness, but Mal was worried about her health.

"Come in here 'fore you die with pneumonia or something."

Relenting, she joined him just beneath the cover of the ship. They sat on the ramp together with the sounds of heavy rain dancing in their ears. The water dripped from above like runoff from a clogged gutter. River felt Mal's uneasiness, but for once the captain was willing to admit it…in his own way.

"How far can you see, River? Do you have any notion about what's going to happen?"

"Can't know that far. Too variable. Things can change. This isn't going to be like last time, Captain. I've seen your dreams. By accident. Things won't happen like that again. Not this time. Don't have to be a soldier for either side."

He glanced with curiosity. "How can you know if you just said you can't see that far?"

"Because you have me this time. I won't let it happen. I'll protect you."

Instead of making a snappy remark about being able to defend himself, he was too busy wondering why she would say such a thing. "You? Why?"

"First two rules of flying…" she smiled while leaning back to expose her bare foot to the rain water. "It's cold. Rain is nice. Washes away the old. Creates the new. Good beat. Patter, patter, patter."

A smile crossed his face. Somehow, she always made him feel better. The rain was cold, which meant that River's body was racked with shivers. Mal automatically offered his arm, and she slid into his side with her head tucked under his chin. Something about being alone with the rain felt therapeutic to them both. With a war on the rise, they both knew that these moments could soon change.

Simon and Kaylee appeared on the ramp an hour later. He glanced at the captain and his sister, but he didn't think anything of it. They were like blood relatives in his mind. Kaylee, on the other hand, nearly squealed in delight. She ran into the kitchen while Simon changed to deliver the news.

"Cap'in and River are cuddling in the cargo bay!"

Jayne sent an arrogant look at Zoe. "I told you."

"They aren't together yet. I haven't lost my money."

"You made a bet?" Kaylee questioned.

Zoe nodded. "Yep. While we were waiting for something to shoot, we got to makin' wagers. We have one on you and Simon too."

"Yeah, be sure you get knocked up _'fore _you get married or I'm in the hole."

"Jayne!" Kaylee chided with a slap on the shoulder.

They were interrupted by Mal and River entering the room. Simon entered shortly after, which River knew would be the case, and Mal made the announcement. "River and I have news."

"Gorram," Zoe grumbled. "I'll pay you later."

"What?" Mal wondered. "You know what I'm going to say about the war?"

That froze everyone in their place. Kaylee could only squeak. "War?"

"We saw it on the cortex. The Alliance declared war on the _New _Independents. There was a rebellion uprisin' after we exposed Miranda. That's why the Alliance wants this ship and her crew. I conjure that plenty of folk will want this ship for many reasons. It's another civil war, and we'll be hard pressed to avoid it. But, we're gonna try."

"Aw, hell. I almost didn't make it outta the last one!" Jayne hissed with a dramatic motion of his knife. "Those Alliance guys almost drafted me on accident. I was just theivin' about on this nice planet. Got arrested and they were gonna ship me off to war! Luckily, I broke outta there and ran off 'fore they could find me."

"As educational as that was," Simon began while clearing his throat, "what exactly are we doing to do about this?"

"You heard me. Avoid it as long as possible. Same plan as before. I think that we should enjoy our last day of vacation and we'll go from there. End of conversation."

Kaylee was clearly shaken, so Simon walked with her to the engine in order to calm her nerves. Jayne kept working on the deer, he was now curing the hide, and River left for the bridge. Zoe pulled Mal aside with concern. "Sir?"

"Fine," he understood her perfectly. "River gave me some peace of mind. She can't see too far ahead, but she thinks we'll be able to stay together."

"_We'll_, sir?"

His ears turned bright red. "The crew."

She smirked. "I see. Well, I think that she's right. She's one hell of a fighter. Jayne's willing to blow up anybody any day of the week. We've got a solid doctor and engineer. I don't want to be a solider again, but it's still in me. This crew can handle a lot."

"I don't want to fight neither, Zo. But, like you said, it's still in me too. Just three years back, I'd have…I don't know what…but I wouldn't of handled this right. I guess time does strange things to stubborn old criminals."

"Maybe it wasn't time," Zoe grinned as she went back to her dead birds.

Mal's brow furrowed. "What's that s'pposed to mean?"

"Nothing," she promised, though her mischievous grin betrayed her.

Confused, Mal retreated to the quiet of his bunk to think on things. Soon, the night cycle had begun and he fell asleep. However, his dreams were plagued with battlefields and bodies. The talk of war had brought up so many horrors. When he woke screaming, the dark room slowly came into focus. His ragged breath calmed and he told himself that it was over and never going to happen again.

"Correct, Captain."

He screamed and jumped backwards to turn on the light. Sure enough, River Tam was sitting at his desk. "River, what are you doing in here?"

"Your nightmares were loud. Became my nightmares. I woke before you. Imagining the blood and bombs. I brought you hot apple cider. Kaylee bought some. I heated it."

She went to him and held the mug as a peace offering. He decided to take it. "You didn't have to go to the trouble of all this."

"Wrong. I told you I'd protect you."

"How is this protectin'?"

"You know you'll dream it again if you go back to sleep. I'll keep you awake."

She slid closer to him on the bed and he recoiled. "What…what exactly…does that mean?"

Without answering, she leaned across his bare chest and plucked a book from beneath the bedframe. It had fallen there during turbulence some time ago. His spine was rigid as she curled neatly in his lap and thumbed through the book. He held the apple cider above her head to be sure he wouldn't burn her. This was all too cozy, too weird, and too wonderful.

"_The Rime of the Ancient Marnier_, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Part one: It is an ancient Mariner—"

"Are you readin' the entire poem out loud to me?"

"Affirmative. Unless you want me to leave and your nightmares to resume."

"I mean, no…I guess it'd be okay if…" he fumbled as she smirked. "Just read the gorram poem."

She cleared her throat as he sipped the apple cider. He liked the sound of her voice, and he liked the poem. It was one of the few he had actually read all the way through in that collection. River had a bit too much fun with the dramatic language, but especially during her favorite passage in part one.

"And a good south wind sprung up behind; the Albatross did follow, and every day, for food or play, came to the mariner's hollow!"

He grinned at her excitement and listened as the poem went on and on. By the time she finished, it was morning and he felt oddly refreshed. The vacation continued without any problems. Mal started to almost follow River around, but she did the same thing. That night, as they drifted towards a contact for a job, he had the nightmares again. This time, River showed up with coffee and a Shakespearian play. She cast Mal in all female parts, and she played the men. They read until the night cycle ended.

Sure enough, their good friend—Striker—had a decent job for them to pull. They headed off to the planet along the rim, and River set the ship in a well-guarded canyon. Mal, Zoe, and Jayne took the mule towards the town and the warehouse they were robbing. However, upon getting nearer, they heard gunfire—and a lot of it.

"Sir," Zoe spoke as she pointed to the sky. "That's an Alliance cruiser."

"And, I see a lot of folk in brown coats up ahead…" Mal agreed.

Jayne shook his head. "Gorramit, we're in a ruttin' warzone!"

"Should we try to finish the job?" Zoe wondered.

Mal sighed deeply. "We need the money. Work is gonna be hard to find."

Despite the battle going on to the east, they went to the south for their job. Once they reached the warehouse, they found the many crates of potatoes. Apparently, there were a few planets that weren't able to grow them and paid top dollar for the spuds. Yet, the crates were so heavy that only one person could be in the mule.

"Ladies first," Jayne grunted clumsily as he pointed to the mule.

She smirked and looked at them both. "Don't get pulled into that mess over there. We're thieves, not soldiers today."

As Zoe left with the haul, Jayne and Mal began the long walk back to the ship. They tried to use the buildings as cover, and it seemed to be working. While they hunkered behind the side of another warehouse, someone saw them move from building to building and followed their path. They heard the unmistakable sound of a hammer cocking.

Three gunshots filled the air. Two of them belonged to Jayne and Mal. The Alliance man, who saw Mal's brown coat and leapt to conclusions, was dead on the ground. Meanwhile, the captain had a bullet in his chest. He grumbled to himself as Jayne lugged him to his feet.

"This ain't my day…"


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter Six: Insanity and Science**_

"Gorram, Mal," Jayne hissed while resituating the captain against his side. "Why are you so heavy?"

"I think there are more important things than my figure, Jayne. I'm _bleeding _here. Think the bullet hit somethin' it shouldn't of."

"Bullets always hit you where they ain't s'pposed to. It's a ruttin' bullet."

Mal wheezed with an eye roll. "Just get us out of here, would you?"

The battle raged onwards. They darted between buildings and vehicles for cover. Serenity was far off, and Mal was losing far too much blood. Explosions sent rubble over their heads and ships fired from the sky. Jayne had to keep shooting with one hand and supporting Mal with the other. Every so often, a soldier would get too close for comfort. Jayne used Mal as a battering ram more than once, though the captain wasn't happy about it.

Eventually, they hit an open field. The fighting hadn't reached it quite yet, so they were able to simply run for it. After complaining by both men, they found the canyon that hid their ship. The ramp was already down and Zoe waited within the cargo bay. Mal knew that stance and expression. He could read Zoe like a book, and he wasn't liking what he saw on the pages. Something else was about to go pear-shaped.

"Sir, you're not looking good."

"I think there are more important things than my handsome appearance right now, Zoe. Some Alliance soldier shot me in the chest."

"And I had to lug him the whole way here," Jayne whined like a five year old.

Zoe sighed and prepared to break the news. "River said that the Alliance gunships found Serenity. It's more than a feeling. She intercepted a wave. They're preparing a strike. We have to go now."

"Then we'll go. Jayne, take me to the bridge."

"I ain't taking you nowhere, Mal. I've took you far enough."

"Who's the captain here? I give the orders. Take me to the bridge."

"What you gonna do? Make me?"

The first mate shook her head at the childish men. "Sir, you aren't in the condition. Jayne, take him to the infirmary. Simon will patch you up and I'll take the lead on the bridge."

"Fine," Mal grumbled. "But I ain't no invalid."

Jayne helped him to the infirmary and Zoe closed the ramp before running to the bridge. Just as she got there, Serenity took off. River looked pale, paler than usual, but her focus was on the ship. Zoe figured she knew what happened to Mal and wasn't taking it well. Luckily, the girl was a natural pilot and beyond professional.

"We're close to Muir. Let's head there and lose the Alliance along the way," Zoe ordered as she sat in the copilot's seat.

"Course entered and confirmed."

"How close are they to the strike?"

River closed her eyes for a brief moment, and then they flew open as a proximity alert sounded. "They're already here. Less than one thousand, six hundred and nine, point thirty-four meters behind our ship."

"How far is that in first mate dummy talk?"

"Just under one mile. More on the way. Coming sideways. Flank maneuver. Six vessels. Two on the sides, one at the rear, and one to block us from the atmosphere. Heavily armed. Orders to eliminate Serenity."

Zoe didn't like those odds one bit. "We'll have to out fly them. Simple as that."

"Don't worry," River assured her with a faint smile. "We're a leaf on the wind."

Though it stung to remember Wash, Zoe couldn't think of a better time to bring his memory to life. She quickly reverted into command mode and got onto the intercom. "Everyone find something to hold onto. The skies are going to get rough. Kaylee, we need you in contact. We'll need all the help you can give us."

"You got it, Zoe, Standin' by!" Kaylee cheerfully answered.

River checked her mind and the console. "One minute, forty-nine seconds, and sixteen milliseconds before they initiate their flank maneuver. Frontal force waiting for their reports of eradication or escape. They will proceed as necessary."

"Okay…" Zoe digested slowly. "You got a plan?"

"The plan is to successfully avoid their attacks and get to Muir with limited damage to the ship or her crew. The means by which we will achieve this goal have yet to be determined. Utilizing improvisational techniques."

Zoe's head hurt. "Again, I need that in plain English."

"I'm winging it. They're coming at an alarming rate. Warn the others."

"Everyone, strap in or hold tight. We have company," Zoe announced while buckling her seatbelt.

River hit a button to communicate with Kaylee exclusively. "Reroute all unnecessary power feeds to the engine. I need an extraordinary amount of force. Following this procedure, cut the engine all together. Wait ten seconds and give the engine as much energy as possible. Don't fall over."

As the ships appeared on either side and from behind, River gave Kaylee the command to charge the engine. In a massive blast, the ship moved just above the attacking forces. Then, in an unusual move, the engine was cut. The ship fell backwards at an alarming rate. Ten seconds later, the engine came back. River had placed the ship at the perfect altitude, meaning that when they fell backwards they slid right between the other ships. She turned them about sharply and they took off away from the Alliance vessels.

Yet, one ship got a lucky shot. Serenity shook and steam filled the engine room. Kaylee did what she could to save the engine, and it would give them just long enough to reach Muir. Though Jayne bumped his head in his bunk, Kaylee slammed into the bulkhead, Zoe almost lost her lunch, Mal was in even more pain, and Simon did the worst suture he had ever done, the crazy pilot and her crazy flying saved the day.

Zoe patted her on the shoulder when they hit the black without the Alliance tailing them. "Wash would have been proud."

"Thank you. Do you mind—"

"I don't mind taking over the boat. Go see the captain."

River nodded in thanks and quickly went to the infirmary. Simon was finishing the last of his sloppy suture, he had to switch needles at one point since he was stabbed in the palm by the other, and Mal was enjoying the pain medication dripping through his IV. He saw River and smiled groggily.

"Hey, little albatross. I take it we got away?"

"Yes. I outwitted them with insanity and science."

He smirked at that. "Insanity and science? I don't even wanna know."

"You're all fixed up. Sorry about pulling the thread out earlier…"

"It's okay, doc. I didn't need that hunk of flesh anyhow. 'Sides, we were shakin' about pretty hard. Can I go now?"

Simon was continually surprised at how terrible Malcolm Reynolds was as a patient. "You were almost hit in the heart. You're lucky to be alive. I have to make sure that you get fluids and the internal bleeding has stopped."

"So, you can make house calls. Ain't like I'm far away."

"Fine. I know that you'll just leave anyway and say, '_I'm the captain here_' like usual. But, you have to stay on this level for a few days. I don't want you climbing stairs or ladders."

He could live with that, so River helped him to the couch just beyond the infirmary. She sat with him, hip to hip, and blinked back unshed tears. "I'm sorry, Captain."

"Sorry about what?"

"You were shot. I didn't protect you. I didn't see it until it was too late."

"It ain't your fault, darlin'. Nobody can protect someone all the time."

Her head went to his shoulder and her fingers carefully covered the bloody spot of his shirt. "It hurt."

"Bullets do that. I'm better now, so don't worry on it."

"It ruined your shirt."

He smiled fondly at her tone. "That's the real problem here. I liked this shirt."

"I'll get you a new one."

"Don't bother," he shrugged. "I don't mind it for now."

She grinned when she realized that he just wanted her to stay for a while. Her hand dropped to his, and he took it in his own. Simon didn't really notice it. He brushed by them as he went to check on Kaylee. Jayne found him first with complaints about the bump on his head, though it was nothing serious. Zoe relaxed with a few dinosaurs on her lap, smiling softly at the husband she missed so terribly. Over all, everyone had settled into a level of comfort.

It didn't cross their minds that Muir might be the worst possible place to hide. There were no reports of fighting there, but there were no reports when they touched down earlier either. Yet, it wasn't fighting that they should have thought about. The Blue Sun Galaxy was known for one thing and one thing only: Reavers.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter Seven: Reaver Country**_

Per Simon's instructions, Mal had to stay in the passenger dorms for at least one to two nights before strenuous activities such as climbing stairs or ladders. He said a bunch of medical terms, basically stating that he could pull his sloppy stitches or possibly cause internal bleeding again, but Mal was convinced that he just wanted control over his stubborn patient. That, or River put him up to it.

She didn't. Well, not exactly. Maybe she dramatized what could happen to the captain if Simon didn't keep him in the passenger dorms. Maybe she even pointed out that she could keep a medial eye on him for Simon if Mal were close by. And, maybe—just maybe—she said that she had a bad feeling about Mal returning to his bunk. That wasn't a lie. She _did_ have a bad feeling if he left her, but for a completely different reason.

Mal went to Simon's old room that night. He had enough painkillers in his system to pacify a herd of stampeding cattle or his old pal Monty after someone made fun of his soup-catcher. However, he woke in the middle of the night with a growling stomach. He'd hardly eaten all day, so he decided to wander up to the kitchen for a late snack. Yet, he forgot that there was a reader in the room across the way.

He wasn't even halfway up the steps when River's voice chided, "Stay. Down."

"I'm hungry," he responded while swaying from side to side. Gorram, those were strong pills.

"_Down_. Sit."

Frowning, he clumsily went down the steps and sat on the couch. "I ain't your puppy dog."

"Incorrect data, Captain. Puppy dog eyes. Obedient. Follows. Fluffy," as soon as she spoke the last word, her fingers ruffled his hair. "Now, _stay. _I'll get your snack."

Sure enough, River returned with exactly what Mal would have gotten for himself. They both drank warm tea while he chomped on a protein sandwich. More like protein on a week old, half eaten dinner roll. But, he couldn't complain. River waited quietly until he was done and instructed him to "roll over" onto her lap. Confused, he didn't move. She plopped him down with his head in her lap, ordering him to sleep. He drifted into a peaceful sleep only minutes later.

"How long do you reckon they've been that way?" Jayne gruffly whispered to Zoe from the top of the steps.

She sighed. "Since they met."

"What? They been sleepin' since they met?"

"Sometimes, I wonder if you were dropped on your head as a child. They've been sleepin' since last night. They've been…close…since the beginning. Captain won't admit it. Don't know if he ever will. We gotta get moving. Wake them gently while I get the mule ready."

Just as she turned to leave, Jayne shouted, "Mal! You awake yet?"

Mal opened one eye and River glared. She helped him sit upright and he rubbed his aching head. "No, Jayne. I'm sleepin' so come back later."

"Ha-ha. Zo and the rest of us are goin' to town for parts and ammunition. Our stores are kind of low, and there's a gorram war out there. I figured we need a good defense. Zoe is gonna help me and Simon is gonna help Kaylee. You two will be stayin' here."

"Last I checked, _I'm _the captain. I say what happens."

Jayne smirked. "Zoe said that you'd say that. What do you want then?"

"Well…fine. Just do that. I don't mind stayin' with River. The doc would have heart failure if I went out anyhow."

Thus, Jayne left and Mal glanced at River curiously. She smiled. "Yes, Captain. Not a dream."

His eyes fell to the empty mugs and crumb covered plate. In his mind, he was sure it wasn't real. He couldn't have really slept that well on his pilot's lap. She stood with a bright grin and trailed her fingers across his shoulder. "I'll be in the shower, Captain. Alert me if you require assistance with a bath later today."

She giggled when his ears turned pink. They each got cleaned up and into fresh clothes, Mal only needed help with buttoning his shirt properly, and he finally convinced River to help him to the top level. His bunk was off limits, but he was allowed to use the stairs with assistance and supervision. They made their way to the bridge and sat in their chairs to watch the clouds go by their eyes.

"That one looks like…a cloud?" Mal attempted.

River howled with laughter. "Imagination, Captain. Creativity. Hides in the mind. Utilize it. Example: that one looks like a ballerina dancing with a dragon."

"Huh," he mumbled, turning his head for a better angle. "Maybehaps it does. But, the one next to it…that looks like a horse…with a bird on its back."

"Excellent analysis, Captain. I concur with your theorem."

He knew at this point that her fancy words meant that he had done a good job. It was more fun that he'd like to admit. "That one looks like a wagon."

"Pulled by gigantic poodles."

They chuckled together, but the instant was broken by River's horrific gasp. Mal ran, as much as he could, to her side and steadied her with his hand. "River? Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"The sky. Monster lurking in the clouds. Shark fin creeping across oceans to taste foolish children. Filled with horror within. Unleash the fury. Destruction with gnarled teeth. Chomp away until it's digested. Until it's gone."

"Someone's coming in a ship," he gathered. "When?"

Her finger pointed out the window. He spun to see an Alliance ship sinking into the canyon near them. Zoe had landed the ship neatly within a row of tree to remain hidden, so they shouldn't be spotted. When Mal assumed that it was an Alliance gunship coming to finish what they started, River suddenly snatched his hand and dragged him to the nose of the ship.

"Not what it seems to be. Wait."

The ship landed and the ramp in the rear opened. Gradually, troops marched in formation to a spot on the open ground. At least, that's what Mal thought they were at first. As they all turned to face forward, Mal studied them again. Messy hair. Disgusting, mismatched clothing. Axes, swords, knifes, maces, and many other blades. These were no soldiers. These were _Reavers_. Wait. No, that couldn't be right. Nothing about this could be right.

"What the hell is this?" Mal whispered to River as if they'd hear them.

"Call everyone back. _Now_."

He did as he was told, though Kaylee protested. "Ain't like we can go noplace, Captain. She's not gonna budge unless I get the parts."

"No time for that, Kaylee. We'll use the shuttles if we need to."

"…they was damaged too, Cap'in."

"Just get back here! They're gorram _Reavers_! I think. I don't know. Hurry up!"

That was motivation enough. They started back for the ship while River and Mal continued to watch. In unison, the…whatever they were…moved one hand to their ears. It was like they were listening to someone in an earpiece. Reavers wouldn't listen to anyone, let alone be organized in such a way. Together, they all shouted the same thing: "Yes, sir!"

_They talked_? _They ruttin' talked?_

For a second, they held their formation. Then, they let out a war cry and charged towards the nearest town in disarray. Luckily, the early warning allowed the rest of the crew to get back in time. Mal filled them in on the situation, but they all turned to River to see if she could tell them anything or at least have an idea.

"Reavers," she murmured as she leaned against Mal for support. "Different Reavers. Not from Miranda."

"The Alliance is making more? They were right on the cortex?" Simon questioned.

River shook her head with bleary eyes. "Not an Alliance ship. They don't use beetle class xv1920 sniper battle cruisers. Ship is painted to appear Alliance."

"Beetle class?" Zoe echoed. "Sir, didn't we use those in the war?"

He thought back and snapped his fingers. "Yeah, we did. For that one attack on the Feds during our first run. Those ships are old. They don't make them anymore. Hell, we hardly used them. They're loud and heavy. We got too noticed."

"Setup," River announced.

"Gorram," Jayne muttered. "You're sayin' the rebellion is tryin' to frame the Alliance for making these new Reavers?"

"Yes," River confirmed. "Did it wrong. Not going to work."

Kaylee's brow knit. "The setup ain't gonna work?"

"No. The Reavers. Compliant now. Do as they're told. Just enough damage to scare. To make headlines. Scientists engineered them. Made them unique. Smarter. Stronger. Too smart and strong. Won't listen forever."

"How many?" Mal wondered.

She shut her eyes and flew back open. "Twenty thousand. Just waiting for battle. One hundred here now. Another hundred on the way. Orders to destroy the entire town."

"We can't run. I already told Cap'in that we need the parts 'fore we can get away…" Kaylee nervously interjected.

"So, we'll get the parts," Mal decided. "If we're quick enough before the other Reavers get here, we can get out. If we don't, we're as good as dead."

"Sure, Mal. Let's go for a walk in new Reaver territory. Hell, why don't we just leave our guns here too. Then we can get nice and acquainted with 'em. Maybe bake them some 'Welcome to the party' cookies. I ain't goin' out there. I don't think anybody will," Jayne sarcastically commented.

River stepped forward. "I will."

"You won't," Simon and Mal said at the same time.

"Logical choice. Best fighter. Already experienced in Reaver combat. Can get the correct parts without placing Kaylee in danger. Only sensible."

Zoe shrugged. "River's right. She's our best choice. I can go with her as reinforcement."

"You ain't goin' out there," Jayne argued. He quickly cleared his throat. "Mal's hurt as it is. We need somebody in charge that isn't gonna keel over on this ship in case somethin' goes wrong."

"Jayne's…actually right. Zoe, you stay put. I'll go," Mal announced.

Simon rubbed his temples. "Captain, I do not want to stitch you up again, and I do not want you to put my little sister in danger."

"Believe me, doc. I don't want your stitchin' again neither. But, I swear on all that's fluffy and dear that will keep River safe."

"Wrong, I'll keep him safe," River smiled. "Have to go now. They're spreading. Best chance for survival."

Mal breathed slowly. "Then, it's decided. We're goin' into Reaver country."


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Eight: We have to Do Something**_

Mal and River hopped into the mule after getting some weaponry, and he _allowed _River to drive. They both knew that he was still very sore, but he'd never admit it. They also knew that he wasn't exactly in shape to go with her, yet he wouldn't be anywhere else. There was no way he'd let his pilot go against Reavers alone…even if she could handle it.

The screams could be heard long before they reached the town. A junkyard sat on the opposite edge of the establishment, and that was their destination. They could see the devastation between buildings and landscaping. Women were dragged from their children and eaten as their little ones watched. Some Reavers shot harpoons into elders and dragged their bodies behind them. Men were hacked into pieces or skinned alive. Blood rained in the streets.

Mal had seen Reavers before, but these were worse. They were faster and could strike with enough force to split someone in half with one blow. And, there was something methodical about the attack. They seemed to work in units instead of darting about in a frenzy. He couldn't watch any longer, so he knew this had to be doing worse things to his favorite reader.

"Albatross, you doin' okay?"

She had a distant look about her, and tears lazily slid from her silken cheeks. "Must focus. Can't look. Can't talk. Shouldn't feel, but she does. She feels everything."

His arm slid around her shoulders to give her enough stability to keep her mind on the job. Inadvertently, he sent good vibes her way and that made all the difference. However, once they hit the center of town, they were surrounded by the Reavers. One particularly gruesome specimen pointed at the mule and called out like a hungry animal. The others turned to see what the beast had found. Slowly, they moved towards Mal and River.

"Hold on," River stated while hitting a few buttons. "Full power to the thrust. Beware the heightened velocity."

She wasn't kidding. Mal swore that his face flew into the wind. The Reavers ran after them, but they were not fast enough. They managed to get to the junkyard, and River knew exactly where to go and what to grab. Mal helped carry what he could, but he didn't like the expression on River's lips.

"They coming for us, darlin'?"

"Not yet. Additional weight and increased consumption of fuel in order to access access the target will dramatically reduce the momentum of the vehicle. Tortoise against cheetah. Slow and steady does _not_ win the race."

"Can we go another way? Maybehaps avoid 'em all together?"

She shook her head. "Lengthened route will result in total fuel loss. Have to fight."

"So, we'll fight. Let's get to the violence before I lose my nerve."

As they climbed into the mule, the radio crackled. It was Zoe and she didn't sound happy. "Sir, the Reavers found Serenity. We're on lockdown, but they're attempting to break in through the cargo bay. Any chance you're on your way back and can get rid of them?"

"We just got the parts, and we have to cut through town. It's gonna be a while."

"No rush," Jayne commandeered the radio, "jus' about to be dead is all."

Mal rolled his eyes and River pointed to the driver's seat. "Drive. She has to dance."

That was never a good phrase. He sped off towards the center of town with his gun in his lap. River balanced across the front and back of the mule with her sword—the one she won off Jayne in a bet to see who could reassemble guns faster—and a gun she borrowed from Zoe. She held one weapon in either hand, and sure enough the Reavers appeared in the town square.

"Don't stop driving. Always move," River instructed. "Let her fight."

He swallowed and punched the thrust. The mule knocked down two Reavers from the start, but soon there were three Reavers closest to River, two near Mal, and one hopping on the back. In a single motion, River decapitated the three on her side while simultaneously shooting the ones near Mal. The girl didn't even look behind her. As for the one on the back, it got her in a hold from behind. She knocked it in the mouth with her head and sent the sword through its gut.

Another wave flocked to them. River faired fairly well against this lot, though she did attain several injuries. Yet, it appeared that every Reaver in the town had joined the party. The people in the humble establishment had already been killed or taken, so Mal and River were literally their last conquest. River sliced and shot, and even Mal fired a few rounds. Though the mule's radio was destroyed and they couldn't go very fast, everything else seemed to go their way. Then, their luck took a turn as a Reaver reached into the mule and got Mal by the shoulders. It bit his neck near the artery, and River had to take action before the bite became fatal.

Thus, River Tam leapt onto that Reaver's back and landed in the dirt beneath the mule. Mal shot a few Reavers that had climbed onto the mule and looked back at River. "I'm coming around!"

She punched and twirled in her dance, only pausing to answer, "No! The ship! The Reavers are almost in! Keep going!"

"I ain't leavin' you, gorramit! I will not let you die. I need you."

With that, Mal sped forward and quickly turned about. He knocked down a bunch of Reavers and pulled up to River. His hand extended to her and she took it, hopping back onto the mule. It took a lot more fighting and injuries, but they broke through and sped away from the town. They were both far too annoyed at one another to speak, and their minds were on the ship. River knew that by the time they reached Serenity the Reavers would be inside.

Zoe and Jayne were sitting on the catwalk of the cargo bay listening to the Reavers get closer to breaking the door. Simon and Kaylee were up there as well, and they both had guns in their hands and fear in their eyes. Jayne took a nip of whiskey and passed it to Zoe. She did the same and they shared a mutual silence. He glanced at her with a grim expression.

"Those things get through…"

"We'll handle it. The captain and River will be back soon. River could take 'em out on her own."

He scowled. "Their radio is broke, Zo. We can't know if or when they'll be here."

"Have faith, Jayne."

"Well, if we die, I jus' wanna say somethin' to you."

She glanced curiously. "What exactly is that?"

"I wouldn't mind seein' ya naked."

"…thanks. You have a way with words."

The Reavers had somehow lowered the ramp some time ago, which they couldn't only attest to these new Reavers being more intelligent than before. Only the door stood between the crew and the monsters. With a mighty motion, the top of the door began to dent. Simon and Kaylee shared a brief kiss and checked to see if their guns were ready to fire.

"I don't wanna die," Kaylee sniffled. "Tell me we won't die, Simon."

"We won't," he assured her. "I think. But, if we don't live through this, I wanted to tell you that I love you more than anything. Would you…I mean…will you…if this doesn't end badly…" he paused and spit it out. "Would you like to get married if we aren't eaten by Reavers?"

She squealed and hugged him tightly. "Yes! Shiny! A million times yes! I'mma be Mrs. Dr. Simon Tam!"

The door gave way even more. Zoe glanced at the young couple enthralled in kisses. "Congratulations. Now, get to your positions. We're about to have company."

The Albatross did follow, Everyone readied their guns as the door finally broke. Reavers poured in like water from a dam. The four crew members started firing. Some were taken out, but others started to scale the steps. Zoe and Jayne each took a side and got ready for close quarters combat. They kept going, but so did the Reavers. More and more began to appear. Thankfully for the crew, so did their reinforcements.

The mule skidded onto the ramp and River leapt to the floor. She came in, guns blazing and sword swinging, and Mal followed with his pistol. Just when they thought the Reavers were almost killed off, the angry Reavers from the town had caught up with Mal and River. They were all running out of bullets and energy.

"Will this ever end?" Jayne grunted while blowing the head off a Reaver. "I'm about out of firepower, and that never happens to me!"

Suddenly, the Reavers froze in place. Their fingers went to their ears and they simply turned around and left. The crew was stunned but certainly not complaining. Everyone sat down on the nearest surface to catch their breath and calm their injuries. Zoe surveyed the crew and the corpses beneath her. Nothing made sense to her or anyone.

"Sir, what the hell was that?"

"I don't know, Zoe. We saw the same thing in the town. These things are even more creepifying than the old ones. They moved in units. Better in every way. More vicious too. If these things do break free from whoever is tellin' them what to do, the entire Verse could be in danger. Maybehaps we should get to the bottom of it. There's no way the New Independents would kill all those innocent people just to frame the Alliance. It has to go deeper than that."

Jayne cursed in Chinese under his breath. "What happened to the 'let's avoid the war' plan?"

"It ain't the war," Mal defended. "It's just a part of it. Do you want those Reavers runnin' wild in our Verse or do you wanna do something about it? We could save some lives and do some good. Or, we could just sit on our hands and hope it all works out. I know that I don't want to ever see what they did to this planet ever again. 'Sides, if we don't figure it out, we run the risk of getting caught in another Reaver invasion again without knowing the details. Are you okay with risking our lives and everyone else's 'cause you're scared of a little investigation?"

"I ain't scared," Jayne scoffed. "I was just worried about runnin' out of ammo. That ain't cheap."

"We all agree, sir," Zoe offered. "We have to do something."

Simon politely interrupted. "I see that a lot of people are bleeding, so if you want to drop by the infirmary I don't mind going down there."

Everyone began to disperse, but Mal and River paused to see if they were still at odds. She knew that he'd speak first, so he let him. "I don't much appreciate that you wanted me to leave you."

"I was thinking of the crew, Captain."

"We stick together, remember? Don't do that again."

"I'm sorry," her eyes and voice lowered, but soon she smirked and slipped into River speak. "Light shines from darkness."

"What?"

"When people are afraid of losing their lives, they say things they've been even more afraid to admit. Reavers come to play. Simon and Kaylee get engaged. Jayne told Zoe how he feels. You and me…"

He rubbed the back of his neck worriedly. "What about us?"

"You admitted that you need me."

"Of course I do. You're the pilot. Know when bad things happen. Hell of fighter. This crew needs you around."

She gave him a typical look. "Not what you meant."And every day, for food or play,

"Fine. I do need you. You're a friend."

"Also not what you meant. Don't worry, Captain. You'll know what you meant in time. The Verse depends on it."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter Nine: The Weapons**_

"What do you mean by that?" Mal questioned. Was this a real feeling or was she exaggerating?

River tilted her head to one side. "Unconfirmed origin. Just slipped out. I have to see Simon. I'm bleeding."

With that, she went into the infirmary and left Mal completely puzzled. River sat on the table beside Zoe, who was next in line for stitches. Kaylee was unharmed and assisting her now-fiancé, as Jayne had a nasty slice on his arm that needed attention. Jayne awkwardly looked at the first mate and looked away again.

Carefully, he mumbled, "I was just kiddin' back there."

"Understood," Zoe acknowledged, though they both knew it was too late to take it back.

Mal appeared in the doorway to get the situation. "Doc?"

"Jayne has the worst injury. I've almost finished treating him. Zoe is next, and then I assume River will need some mending. Do you have anything that requires medical attention?"

"There is a decent sized bite in my neck."

Simon noticed it for the first time and cursed in Chinese. "Why didn't you get in here first? You're next. I have to get to that before it gets infected."

"He's stubborn," River smirked, causing Zoe to chuckle.

Mal grimaced and ignored the comment. "Jayne, once you and Zoe are patched up, I'll need help gettin' those corpses out of the cargo bay. Kaylee, get to fixin' that engine right quick. River, I'll need you and maybehaps your doc brother to look into the Reavers. Get as much information as you can. We need a starting point. We clear?"

Everyone confirmed that they heard him, and then they waited for their turn on the table. By some miracle, the crew had survived the attack with little damage. Mal had the difficult time of working with Jayne and Zoe, which led to Mal sending Jayne away to help Kaylee with the engine. He had to ask Zoe what the hell happened to make his mercenary blush and flutter about like a teenage boy.

"He told me that he wouldn't mind seeing me naked, sir."

That was _definitely_ the end of the subject.

Simon and River sat on the bridge together. He worked on his encyclopedia while she used the cortex. At first, they didn't have much luck. It was Simon's idea to check ship records to see who had registered any beetle class ships in the last two years. River had an idea of her own. She checked into previous Reaver sightings in the last few years and noticed a pattern. After doing some quick mathematics, River figured out that there was one planet that had to be the origin. It also doubled as the current center of the New Independents.

"Five beetle class ships have been registered in the last three years. They're all marked as basic cargo ships to individual owners," Simon informed her, though she already knew what he was going to say.

"Already cross referenced the owners," she told him as she scanned the files. "They each have ties with former Browncoats. All living on the same planet."

Simon blinked at his sister's abilities. "Which planet?"

"Newhall."

"The planet that's almost all oceans? Why would the New Independents be there?"

She glared. "Military base surrounded by water. No possibility of terrain combat. Top security against air or aquatic attack. Away from the heat of battle. Stories of Reavers linked to the planet. Lessens suspicion. And, they like to fish."

"Like to fish?"

"Humorous comment. You're supposed to laugh."

He smiled fondly. "You're such a brat. I can't say that enough."

Later that night, Serenity was able to leave the planet and drift in safe space. They met in the kitchen to discuss what the Tams had learned. Once River told them everything, the Browncoats exchanged glances. Nobody was sure what it meant until Zoe spoke.

"We had something similar during the war. It was a water base away from the fighting. The commanders and top militant officers stayed there to come up with strategies and the like. New weapons. Ships. Guns. Training methods. The Alliance tried to take them out, but it took almost the whole war before they managed it. Those types of bases are locked down tight. They wouldn't of even let me or the captain inside."

"So, there's no way in?" Kaylee wondered aloud.

Mal breathed carefully. "I wouldn't say no way, but it'd be damn near impossible."

"Not impossible," River disagreed.

"What do you reckon, moonbrain? Don't tell me if it's gonna be dangerous and crazy…" Jayne gruffly commented.

She sent daggers with her eyes. "Wait for their next Reaver attack. Follow the ship. Get inside after the Reavers have gone. Force them to recall the Reavers and take us to the base."

"I told you _not _to tell me somethin' like that. Mal here will be crazy 'nough to do it since _you_ thought it up," Jayne hissed.

Mal shook his head. "Too risky, River. But, I agree with the notion. If we can follow them without being seen, maybe we don't need the base. We could figure it out on our own. Can we tail them without them knowing?"

"Captain, I see without eyes. Can know where they're going before they do. Once the location is known, we can take an alternate route. Nobody will know," River assured him.

"Then it's settled. Head for Newhall. We'll play the waiting game."

River set the course and they had some time to themselves. Simon and Kaylee celebrated their engagement…in their bunk. And, that's all that needed to be said.

Mal made some coffee for everyone, but he never thought he'd see the day that coffee could make Jayne grin so widely. Well, it was the fact that Zoe brought him a mug and sat beside him at the table. Mal reckoned it was a recipe for disaster, especially since everyone knew Zoe was nowhere over their favorite blond in the tacky shirts. Then again, they were only chatting, so maybe there wouldn't be some dramatic fallout between them. If there were, the entire ship would be riddled with holes and Jayne would be in the infirmary. Zoe could best him in a fight any day.

Maybe Zoe's act inspired him. Maybe he was just a gentleman. Maybe he just knew that she liked coffee. Or, maybe he felt like he needed a legitimate excuse to see her. No matter what it was, Mal poured River a cup of coffee and headed for the bridge. Before he could even knock, she held her hand out for the coffee with a cute smile. He grinned automatically and gave her the drink before he settled into the copilot's seat.

"You know about Zoe and Jayne," he wasn't sure if he asked a question or made a statement about it.

"I do. Coffee is an expression of love."

His throat went dry. "What?"

"Many relationships have started in coffee shops or over a cup of java," she simply spoke while taking a dainty sip. She just adored making him nervous. "Not what you think. Zoe and Jayne."

"What is goin' on there? Not that I'm a gossip. I just need to know if I need to duck for cover anytime soon."

"He likes her. She is developing a very tentative sense of affection, but Wash was everything. Always will be. Hearts can learn to love again because every love is different. Doesn't mean one is better or stronger than the other. Just means the past cannot be replaced, though the future does not have to be empty and broken. In time, she might love again. Jayne is…Jayne…but there's more than he likes to show. They've spent a lot of time together. He helped her through after Wash. Didn't say much. Just kept her company. She likes that he's different. That he isn't like everyone else. Doesn't talk like them. Think like them. Dangerous exterior. Intriguing interior. She knows how she feels. Just scared. Scared that if she tries anything at all, no matter how small, she'll forget Wash. Or she'll feel the pain of losing someone again. Remember, fear keeps us alive. Fight or flight. But, it holds us back. Can't be afraid of feelings. I know that more than anyone."

There was a lull. Her words reminded him of himself, and that petrified him the most. Inara was his loss. Wash was hers. Just as stated before, they were both soldiers. No vulnerability. March on. Keep fighting. Never show emotion. Always run the other way. But, River had a point. He couldn't run from himself. Neither could Zoe. They'd have to face it eventually.

But, now was not that time. "Well, I hope Zoe finds something or someone that makes her happy."

"She will," River agreed with disappointment. She was hoping that he might be honest with her. If she could, she'd tell him, yet she knew that we wasn't ready for it. He'd panic and lose all focus. There were more important things. "We'll be near Newhall very shortly, Captain. I found something on the cortex that might be helpful."

"What'd you find?"

"The Reaver attacks have escalated. Nine reports in the last two weeks, not including the one we just witnessed. There has been a consistent increase in Reaver attacks for one year, approximately the same time that the Alliance reported destroying the final Reaver ships."

He hummed. "A mite odd. They are framing the Alliance, but I conjure they've achieved that. What else could they be doing? It's almost like they're preparing for something."

"They are. I can't determine the end result."

"I guess we'll find out eventually, darlin'. Patience isn't my best quality, but at least I don't gotta wait this out in a trench by my lonesome."

She smiled gently. "Never have to."

They arrived not too long after Mal and River had their coffee on the bridge. Then, they simply waited. River rigged an alert system so that they didn't have to keep someone on watch. In the meantime, they attempted to remain calm. Simon was usually off with Kaylee working on the engine, reorganizing the infirmary, or cooking something interesting. Jayne and Zoe were spending more time together than usual with workouts, cleaning guns, and merely having conversations. That left Mal and River far too much time to be together. Not that they minded.

"Stop cheating," River snapped as she grabbed the ball from their game of jacks. "I know you're using both hands."

"I am not. Your readin' ain't right, sweetheart."

She glared and threw the ball at him. He winced and she smirked. "Serves you right, Captain."

The alert sounded and they both darted to the bridge. Soon, everyone else arrived and they had a visual on the ship. River shut her eyes and they flew open with clarity. She seemed disturbed by what she saw, so Mal put a hand on her shoulder and whispered quietly, "Where are we going, darlin'?"

"New Kasmir. So many Reavers. They're ready to kill. Too many people are going to die."

Mal swallowed and made the call. "Follow them."

River did as instructed and they managed to follow the ship to New Kasmir without being detected. How River did it, nobody knew. They waited a few minutes to hit atmo and follow the ship further. When they looked down, they saw a battlefield. Zoe and Mal fought on this planet once before, and it was unsettling to see it all again. What were they doing with a ship full of Reavers in a war zone?

That's when River heard it in her mind. "They're using the Reavers as weapons."


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter Ten: Dress Up**_

They could tell from above that the New Independents were losing. Their men were fewer and being pushed backwards. When the beetle class vessel sat down on the Alliance side, it went unnoticed in the heat of battle. Then, the Reavers poured onto the soldiers. It was a blood bath, but the Reavers didn't discriminate. The Browncoats were killed too. Was that supposed to happen?

"Those Reavers are takin' everyone out," Jayne commented.

River seemed distant as she spoke. "Supposed to. Can't raise suspicion. If Alliance made the Reavers and they only killed Alliance men, contradiction. Can't give the Alliance any support. Reavers given a set limit of Browncoat casualties. Last resort option. Reavers kill the Alliance. Browncoats win by default."

"They've been training them," Mal realized. "Those towns weren't just a setup. It was practice."

"What do we do?" Kaylee wondered.

Zoe took a deep breath. "We all know how we feel about the Alliance, but this ain't right. We wouldn't of done this back in our war. We wanted to win because we earned it. Beat them fair and square. These 'Browncoats' aren't worthy of winning anything. As much as I'd like to see the Alliance handled, it can't happen like this."

"Zoe's right," Mal agreed. "In our day, not nobody would have dreamt this up. I don't care who you are. No one deserves to be fed to Reavers. This has to stop. Somehow. Are we all in agreement?"

There was a chorus of answers, but Simon had the best point. "We do have to act, but what exactly are we going to do?"

"Well, nobody can survive goin' out there in the middle of a war and all them Reavers—except maybe moonbrain," Jayne offered which earned a glare from everyone else. "Fine, we won't send her. It'd be one hell of show, though."

"Remember how you thought I'd say yes to River's original plan 'cause she thought it up?" Mal questioned dangerously. "You were right, Jayne. We're gonna get on the ship carrying those Reavers. Take it over. Fly it to Newhall. Break in. End the killing. Not quite sure how, but we'll think of something."

Zoe stepped forward. "I'd like to go, sir."

"If she goes, I go," Jayne added as he stepped forward as well.

"Somebody has to stay with the ship," Mal reminded them. "With us in control, Serenity can follow close until we get to Newhall. They'll wait as the extraction team. Who wants to do what?"

Kaylee timidly raised her hand. "I'll stay with my shiny girl. She needs her mechanic in case somethin' goes pear-shaped."

"Simon will stay with you," Mal interrupted before Simon spoke his piece. "We can't lose our only doctor, and…well we can't lose our doctor…"

Jayne provided the other reason. "Mal's tryin' to politely tell you that you're the worst gorram shot he's ever seen."

"I wanted to stay anyway," Simon mumbled as Kaylee squeezed his hand as support.

"That means that all Serenity needs is a pilot," Mal commented with a glance at River.

She glared. "Most valuable asset here. _Not _waiting on this ship anymore."

"She's right," Zoe admitted. "The only other decent pilots on this boat are you and me, sir."

Jayne pouted. "I can fly…"

"As good as Simon shoots," Mal quipped with a faint smirk. "What do you think, Zoe? I know you want to do this."

She paused and glanced between River, Mal, and Jayne. "You should go, sir."

"Are you sure?" he pressed as she nodded. They both understood that he was the only one who could calm River other than Simon. If she couldn't handle the thoughts, he could hold her together. "Then it's settled. I'll go with River and Jayne."

Jayne pointed at himself. "I'm goin' too?"

"Yes. We need more than two people," Mal grumbled. "Be ready for a fight. We're leaving in two minutes."

River hugged Simon and Kaylee before wandering away to collect weapons. Jayne got his weapons first, and then he had an awkward moment with Zoe along the lines of, _Don't get yourself killed or nothin'. _Then, they left the ship on foot to make their way to the Reaver mobile.

By the time they got there, almost everyone had been killed. The Reavers hadn't returned to the ship, which gave Mal and company time to get inside the vessel. River knew of an entry point. There was a special door that allowed soldiers to fire at enemies from above. Mal had forgotten that detail until she mentioned it, and he was the one that knew exactly how to open it from the outside. After they had it open, they leapt aboard with guns drawn—or in River's case, a sword.

No one was in the main area. River sensed that the ones in charge were on the bridge and getting ready to call the Reavers back. A few corridors and steps later, they were on the bridge and holding the three men at gunpoint…or holding a blade to their throats. The men held their hands in the air, and River could already tell that they were each thinking of a way to escape.

"Incapable of moving faster than a bullet," she told one as she looked at another. "We _will _notice if you hit a button, and you," she added to the one at the end of her blade. "Applying direct and forceful pressure to your artery. The slightest friction will sever it, causing enough blood loss to end your life in a brief amount of time. No means of escape. Acceptance is the cornerstone of a happy life."

Reluctantly, the men surrendered. Mal used his gun to point at the console. "Call those Reavers back and tell them all to go to sleep. We're going to Newhall and I don't want any stir-crazy Reavers to get an unpleasant notion in their heads."

They did as they were told. As soon as the Reavers were back and asleep, the ship headed for Newhall. River informed them that Serenity wasn't far behind. Just an hour into the journey, River turned her head to the side with fear in her eyes.

"Kids have grown up. No more listening to the parents. Free to do as they please. Waking for a new day…"

"What?" Jayne asked. "Mal, what's her fancy talk mean?"

"The Reavers aren't taking orders anymore, Jayne," he snapped. "River, how dangerous is this gonna get?"

She floated to him and took the gun right from his holster. Mal could feel his heart pounding from the closeness. When River got near Jayne, he just forked over one of his guns. They still had plenty of firepower, but Mal didn't like what this meant. He was livid, in fact.

"You ain't goin' down there with all those Reavers alone."

"Three men will overpower one. They will listen to two. Can't come, Captain. Not this time. She has to dance alone. It's her number. Must own the stage."

His hand caught her arm as she went to leave. He lowered his voice for only her ears. "You better come back in one piece."

"She always comes back to you, Captain."

Her lips brushed his cheek and she left them. Jayne scowled with concern. "That girl is a born assassin, but those odds ain't shiny. We need that brain of hers to know what's what."

"I know. We need her…" he glanced at the doorway and tried to ignore the pit in his stomach.

River arrived in the center of the ship with Reavers slowly waking from their slumber. She checked the guns to be sure they were ready to go. As she held Mal's gun in her hand, she quietly hummed, "I aim to misbehave…raise the curtain, start the music…five, six, seven, eight…"

They could hear the Reavers and the fight all the way on the bridge. It took all Mal had to stay on that bridge instead of running to her. Even Jayne was impacted. The crazy girl had become a comrade of sorts, and he didn't want to see her go…especially at the hands of Reavers. By the time they reached Newhall, it finally fell quiet. It was too quiet. Mal was about ready to storm down there, but it'd blow the entire operation.

"Why ain't there noise?" Jayne hissed. "We should be hearin' somethin' by now. This ain't good."

"_I know_," Mal growled. "Maybe she's just catchin' her breath."

There was a sudden whoosh of air into the room. Mal spun to see River in the doorway. She was covered in Reaver blood and sporting several gashes. When she entered the room, she had a slight limp, though she was still a creature of extraordinary grace. They hadn't hear her footsteps at all. In that moment, Mal didn't care about the job or ruining his clothes. He embraced her with all that he could.

"I broke your gun," she squeaked into his chest. "Cracked it. On a Reaver skull."

"I don't much care, sweetheart. It's better than you gettin' cracked. What's the damage?"

"I'm fine. Threat eliminated. If they ask, tell them the truth. The Reavers revolted and had to be exterminated. Say they did it. Got lucky."

As they entered the planet's atmosphere, Serenity wasn't far behind. Jayne and River shared a moment of mutual respect before they were granted entry to the top secret base. Jayne held the three men at gunpoint while Mal asked them, "How can we sneak inside? He's gonna start shootin' you if you don't answer. Plenty of places to be shot without dying."

"There is no way. Everyone needs clearance. Each person on this base is constantly monitored once their security badge is scanned upon entry," one guy with large patches of white hair within his brown locks explained to them. River's unique mind nicknamed him Patchy.

That gave Mal the idea. It wasn't exactly a new idea, but it was taking things up a notch. "What about your Reaver soldiers? Are they monitored?"

"No. We treat them like cattle. They're cataloged once we set down, and then they're sent to Reaver habitation."

"What's the habitation?" Mal pressed.

"It's basically a prison. We keep about four to a cell so they don't kill each other over resources."

"Tell me, can you still monitor people without their badges?"

Patchy shook his head. "Security is so tight at the entrance that we only have cameras and codes for every door."

"Mal…" Jayne whined in understanding. "I don't want to be a Reaver."

"Shush," Mal ordered. "So, fellas, tell us the codes right quick 'fore they finish checking this ship into their systems."

That's where Patchy drew the line. "Shoot me if you want. I won't give that information."

"Don't have to," River smiled. "Got the encryption algorithm from Patchy's mind."

Mal grinned and didn't ask about the name. "Shiny. Here's how it's gonna go. We're gonna get dressed as Reavers. You're gonna tell them that we're the only three that didn't disobey orders. Then, you're gonna take us to Reaver habitation. If you're real lucky, we won't seriously injure you along the way. If you as much as give a funny look, we will blow our cover and take out every person in this base."

"You can't do that. It has top security," another one of the guys—called Grumpy for his short height and nasty attitude—snapped harshly.

"She just killed a room of a few hundred Reavers. You think a base of normal people will be an issue?" Mal pointed out.

River smiled. "Actual fatalities: four hundred and twenty-two."

"We won't do it," the final guy—Bulky for his fairly large stature—decided for Patchy and Grumpy. "How can you even control us if you're dressed as Reavers?  
River and Jayne exchanged looks and he aimed at Bulky's crotch. "One wrong move, and you'll never be havin' a fun time ever again."

"We should get going. They'll be ready any second," Patchy agreed. "Just know that if you are caught, they will do worse than give you to the Reavers."


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter Eleven:**_ _**Infiltration **_

It was more than terrifying to see the number of Reaver corpses. The sight caused Mal to grasp River's hand and be silently grateful that she didn't make any mistakes. Yes, it was quite disgusting, but they went to Reavers that were about their sizes and began to make the disguise. River was already ahead with her wounds and bloodied skin, so the others had to get dirty.

River suggested that they keep their real clothes and weapons in the bag of supplies that the Alliance men would carry onto the base. By the time the ship was opened to the base, everyone was in position. Mal and Jayne sported ragged clothes and combat boots, and they smeared blood wherever possible. Their clean haircuts would be noticed, so they made it look like their unkempt hair had been sheered away by soldiers. The security at the door didn't even notice them. They were too distracted by the carnage.

"What the hell is this?" one questioned. "You killed our troops?"

Patchy answered believably, "They revolted. We had no choice but to neutralize the threat. We think the Browncoats might have done something, but we aren't sure what. These three were the only Reavers that came back and followed orders."

"Gorram," the second security man muttered. "We've had two other reports of the Reavers refusing orders. Those ships didn't make it out alive. How'd you manage?"

There was a pause and Jayne carefully moved the gun behind his back to poke Bulky in the thigh. He took in a shaky breath and choked, "We got lucky. They turned on each other too. That didn't leave many to exterminate."

With that, the security guards checked the three officers into the base, and the guys led Mal and the others off the ship towards Reaver habitation. No one dared to speak. Mal, Jayne, and River didn't want to be discovered. The others guys didn't want to risk bodily harm from the criminals. When they reached Reaver habitation, they stood in front of a giant steel door. The men used their clearance to open it, and they slid inside.

As the doors closed, River whispered to Mal, "No cameras or listening devices. Safe to break cover. Successful infiltration."

That's all Mal needed to hear. He rounded on the guys with Jayne and River following suit. They needed more information, and Mal was going to get it. "Does anybody come in and out of Reaver habitation other than delivering Reavers?"

Grumpy grumbled in response, "Someone comes in twice a day to give them food. That's it. Nobody likes to acknowledge that they're even here. There are a few cameras on the entrance in case they somehow escape."

"Mal," Jayne whispered. "What's the plan? How exactly are three fake Reavers s'pposed to wander about this base?"

"Reavers aren't going to," Mal smirked, leaving everyone except River confused.

She smiled. "Playing more dress up. Empty cell three blocks down, Captain."

"Thanks, sweetheart," he grinned as he grabbed Patchy by the shirt. "Follow me."

That's when it made sense to the Alliance fellows. The Bulky struggled against Jayne's hold on his shoulder. "Don't leave us here!"

"You'll be safe in the empty cell," Mal shrugged while throwing Patchy into the cell.

Grumpy and Bulky were tossed into the cell as well, and Mal followed with his crew. River broke the news to the scared men. "Take off your clothes. Shoes. Socks. Everything. We need costumes."

As they reluctantly undressed with Jayne being the unfortunate guard to observe, River and Mal found a bucket of filthy water next to a pile of half eaten animal bones. They washed off all of the blood and put their regular clothes on to wear beneath the costumes. Then, they switched with Jayne so he could do the same. The Alliance men were given the Reaver garments, but Mal noticed a problem. River was smaller than all of the men, and Jayne was larger. Thus, getting dressed was an interesting experience. Mal was the only one that sort of fit the clothing.

"Give us the badges," Mal demanded to the men.

One by one, they handed over their badges. Mal passed them out and grabbed the supply bag. In a swift motion, they exited the cell and locked it. The men ran to the bars to reason with them, but River politely reminded them, "Someone's coming with food tonight. You'll be out by morning. Bye-bye."

While they walked to the door, Jayne limped and tried to tuck in the yellow shirt that hung under the Alliance uniform. "These ruttin' boots are three sizes too small. I got my heel poppin' out the back. I'm gonna get all manner of blisters."

"Jayne, stop complaining. I need you sharp. River, what can you tell us about out there?"

"Three cameras. Covering all angles except one. If we conceal our features by situating the Alliance hats properly and maintaining eye contact with the floor, we will go unnoticed before escaping camera view. I must use you both as obstructions. They'll realize the switch if they see a petite woman instead of the vertically challenged man in the Alliance group."

Mal nodded. "Stay behind me and tell me where to go."

As they were removing a bandage, they sharply exited in a tight group. Each of them tried to act natural and avoid showing any part of their faces. River guided the captain by gently pushing on the small of his back. They ducked into a hallway and entered the first room they could, which happened to be a storage locker. Jayne took a moment to give his feet freedom as Mal and River talked about a plan.

"The badges must be left here," River began. "They hold tracking technology. Give away our location. Cause alarm with the cameras. They'll know we aren't who we're pretending to be."

"But, don't we need those to get into places?" Mal disputed.

River glared. "Subordinates to not possess such clearance, and badges are not used as keys. Personal identification numbers are safe words are required. Can be easily obtained if granted enough concentration."

"Can we stay here until you get the information?"

"Yes, Captain. The men would be in this locker to return supplies. Not a concern to security."

Jayne happily sighed. "So, no walkin' for a bit?"

"If you whine one more time, I'm putting you in Reaver habitation. When I was in the war, I walked fifteen miles on rough terrain in nothing but molded socks."

"Well," Jayne pouted, "I told you I ain't no soldier. And them socks probably fit your feet okay."

"_Hush_," River snapped. "She must think."

They waited for ten minutes. The time was spent readying their weapons, but then River looked at Mal with intensity. He understood that expression. "Lead the way, little albatross."

Together, the team wandered through a labyrinth of corridors that all looked the same. Eventually, they came to a secure door that screamed _secretive information nobody else should see_. River's fingers flew across the entry pad. Jayne hovered her shoulder and gave her a strange expression.

"What's ice planets got to do with anything?"

"Safe word. Lieutenant Commander fondly reminisces about his childhood with his family. No questions. Go in quickly. Won't have much time."

Upon entering the large room, River ran right to the computer while the men watched the door. Mal glanced back worriedly. "How much time do we have?"

"Five minutes maximum. They'll know his code was used and he's in his office speaking to his mother. Inconsistency. They will notice."

Jayne turned to Mal quietly. "What're we lookin' for exactly?"

"Found it," River announced. "All files relating to creating, training, and using the Reavers. Can be used to stop future use and neutralize the Reavers."

Just as she copied the files to an external device, an alarm sounded. Mal looked to his reader for their next move. "Darlin'?"

"Only plausible exit is through the kitchen. Food service vehicle has arrived. We can stowaway, but we have to hurry."

Jayne opened the door and they made a run for it. River guided them in short bursts of directions until they got to the correct hallway. Next thing they knew, there was a wrench in the plan. River simply collapsed on the floor, which prompted a reflex from the captain. He scooped her up and carefully examined that reader look in her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"They found her."

He paused and it hit him like a ton of bricks. "Serenity."

"Is Zoe okay?" Jayne demanded.

River weakly shook her head. "Yes. Keep running. We have to get to the ship as soon as possible. The food service vehicle is still there, but it's about to depart."

When they were about to get to the kitchen, boots sounded like thunder and guns cracked like lighting. The bullets were flying everywhere, so they just kept going. Workers in the kitchen screamed and scattered, which made a clear path for the door. However, men entered from the mess hall and Jayne had to shoot back. Mal was halfway out the door when Jayne toppled into a counter.

"Jayne!"

"It's the gorram boots, Mal! I tripped on my own feet!"

He rolled his eyes. "Then un-trip! Come on!"

Jayne pulled himself together and ran for the door. The vehicle was there as River had said. They leapt into the back as if there were an explosion behind them. Mal slammed the rear doors while Jayne held a gun to the driver's head. He stated simply, "Drive. Fast."

The vehicle lurched forward, and a sense of relief washed over them. Mal sat in between empty food crates with River situated on his lap. He tried to calm the agitated pilot with soothing motions on the small of her back. "How you doing?"

"They're on the ship. So many, and only Zoe can fight…"

"We'll get there."

That's when it all fell apart. The vehicle came to a sudden stop, causing all three of them to fly backwards. Jayne got onto his aching feet as fast as he could, but they slid out from under him. He wasn't able to get back up since his heels were improperly wedged in the footwear. Mal pulled his gun, yet it was shot from his hand. Thankfully, the bullet missed his flesh.

Gradually, the driver turned around to reveal a wide smile. "Malcolm Reynolds."

"Sergeant Rex Coleman…" Mal responded curiously. "I heard you died in that scuffle on Aberdeen with half your platoon."

He chuckled and ran a hand across his bald head. "I'm not dead, so I guess you heard wrong. I was in a medical base for near a year. Lost my left eye. Severe brain damage. You can't tell about the eye. I got a shiny new one. The brain damage, though, that's up to interpretation. By the way, it's Command Sergeant Major now. I'm partly runnin' this operation these days."

"I'm glad to hear that you're in mostly one piece," Mal smiled and quickly frowned. "So what exactly are you doin' with us?"

"Well, I'm taking you back to the base. When I saw the cameras, I knew you right away. They heard the girl say something about escaping on this vehicle, so I hopped in right before you. Thankfully for me, it took you some time to get here since your goon keeps falling over. Anyhow, the Alliance wants you and your crew awful bad. We can use that to finally win this war."

His eyes darkened. "We lost the war a long time ago, Rex. There ain't no winning anymore. Especially when you've resorted to Reaver soldiers."

"You would notice that, Sergeant Reynolds. We decided to beat the Alliance once and for all—no matter what it took."

"See, that's a problem. In our day, we wouldn't of killed our own people or used something as horrible as a Reaver to do our bidding."

"That's why we lost," he spat. "Not any more. Not this time. You can join us, Mal. You're one of the best soldiers we had. I heard the stories. You were a hero in Serenity Valley. Hell, you were a hero for getting the truth about Miranda out there. We need a man like yourself."

He shook his head. "You're wrong. I ain't a monster like you."

"What a shame. I really don't want to kill you, but I will if I have to."

Rex Coleman tossed a device into the back of the vehicle. Gas spilled into the chamber and the crew all went into a deep sleep. Rex had built a tolerance to the gas in training, so he was able to enjoy watching the crew of Serenity fall into his hands. Now that they had the ship and the crew, they could get the Alliance to give them just about anything.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Chapter Twelve: The Trade **_

Mal groggily regained consciousness. His head was pounding, so he lifted his fingertips to soothe the ache. That's when he realized that his wrist weighed a ton and chains clanked with each movement. He glanced down to find that he was shackled to a wall and bench. As he sat upright, he saw that Jayne was beside him and still knocked out. Zoe, Kaylee, and Simon were further down the bench, but they were all fairly alert. However, this was not the first thing Malcolm Reynolds noticed. River was not with them.

"Where's River?" he demanded gruffly. Nobody answered. Kaylee had tears falling from her eyes and Simon wasn't far behind her. Zoe gravely bowed her head without a word. Mal's heart fell into the bottom of his boots. "Where is River? Somebody say something."

"We were hoping that you'd know, sir," Zoe quietly replied. "Serenity was boarded by a group of the New Independents. They threw some kind of device before I could react. We all lost consciousness and woke up here just a few minutes before you. River wasn't here."

Mal harshly cursed in Chinese and attempted to free himself. It was a fruitless effort, but he couldn't just sit there. He had to get out and he had to find her. The rattling chains woke Jayne, who instantly turned to Zoe with worry.

"You good?"

She nodded. "You?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

Jayne faintly smiled and surveyed the room. "Wait, ain't there one less person in here?"

"River," Simon squeaked. "We don't know where she is."

Loudly, the heavy door of their cell swung open and Rex Coleman entered with a powerful stride. His face twisted into a sickening smile when he saw Zoe. "Well, if it isn't Corporal Alleyne."

"Coleman? Didn't you die on Aberdeen?"

He rolled his eyes. "If one more person says that, I am going to scream. I see that you're still running with Sergeant Reynolds."

"We ain't in the war any more, Coleman. I've left those memories behind me."

"So, you wouldn't be interested in joining our cause? Reynolds refused, but I have hope for you. You were always so calm under pressure."

Her eyes hardened. "I would rather leap into the black than work with you."

"Fine, fine. You can stay here with everyone else until we work out a deal with the Alliance."

"Where is she?" Mal interrupted with force.

Rex regarded Mal with an amused smirk. "You mean the girl?"

"Her name is River. What the hell did you do with her?"

"Mal, relax. She's fine. We wanted to get to know her before we give you away. It isn't every day a psychic falls into our hands_._"

"If you so much as touch a hair on her head, I will personally see to making your life worse than a living hell…" Mal threatened darkly.

Rex merely shrugged. "I'm not afraid of you, Sergeant. I just wanted to welcome all of you aboard our base. It shouldn't be long before we finish a deal with the Alliance. Until then, I'll make sure that you're all comfortable. By the way, we got our files back from your girl. They're home with us, and soon you'll be home with _them_. Try to enjoy the ride."

"The Alliance is going to kill us. Are you really comfortable trading lives for your war?" Zoe growled.

He smiled at her once more. "My dear Zoe. You are still just as passionate as I remember. Do you remember the time you spent as a terrorist after the war? Do you ever stop to think that you wanted to win our fight no matter what it took? You are no different than us. This time, we are going to win and we don't care how."

"I might of wanted to win that war, but I never wanted to be as bad as the Alliance. You're worse than they are."

"That's subjective," Rex sighed as he went to the door. "I'll be back to see how you are later. And, Mal, you won't get your reader back until the trade. We've heard stories about her abilities. She's too much of a threat to leave here. We'll have her in maximum security. Bye for now."

The door slammed and Mal started on his chains again. It wasn't going anywhere, and it was making everyone feel even more hopeless. Jayne finally grabbed Mal's shoulder and said seriously, "It ain't goin' nowhere, Mal. You're not helpin' anybody by wastin' all that energy."

He stopped angrily. "What am I supposed to do? They can be doing anything to her. She's barely over what the Alliance did to her brain. We can't let her go through that again."

"We'll figure somethin' out," Kaylee agreed. "Cap'in, remember this is River. If anybody can escape, it's her."

River was awakened sometime earlier by the doctors on the base. They started with scans and basic tests, but soon they attempted to probe her mind with medical equipment. She was held down by automated restraints, but that didn't mean that she didn't have a plan. In fact, she had one. It was all about waiting for the right moment.

When she heard the fear in Mal's mind, that was all the motivation she needed.

Pain didn't frighten her. After everything she had been through, she could keep fighting despite serious physical damage. As soon as the doctors were away from her to whisper about amazing findings and intriguing results, she harshly pulled her tiny hand from the ill-fitted restraint. The movement broke her wrist and a few finger bones, yet she didn't stop.

She quickly reached above her head to reach the keypad near the top of the table. It only took a few moments to figure out the formula to crack the code. Her uninjured fingers punched it in, and all of the restraints popped open. The doctors turned to stop her, but they didn't stand a chance. She easily disposed of them and went to the computer to wipe all files about herself. The last thing they needed was for the Browncoats to manufacture mind-reading assassins in addition to the Reavers.

Her unharmed hand stole one of the doctor's badges and slid on the medical coat. Briskly, she used Mal's mind to locate the cell. Though he didn't know where he was, River had a mental picture of the entire base from others. It wouldn't be too hard to break into the cell. First things first, she had to get to the opposite side of the base.

"Sir," Zoe spoke, which broke the tense silence. "What do you think the walls are made from?"

He glanced. "Solid steel."

"What about the bench."

His knuckles tapped on the surface. "Tin…wait…that's perfect!"

"I thought you'd approve."

Jayne grimaced at their private moment. "What 'xactly is this about metal?"

"Oh!" Kaylee shrieked excitedly, catching on. "Tin is real weak. Steel would be real strong. If we put all the force on the bench, we could rip the chains free!"

"But, I've been at it and nothin' has moved…there needs to be more force. Jayne, kick at my chains."

Mal held his hands out to add tension. Jayne shook his head. "All right, but if I break your hands, don't blame me."

He started kicking the chains away from Mal closest to the bench. It took quite a while, but the chains finally came free. The metal cuffs on his wrists remained, so he had to drag the chains around. But, Mal was out. He turned to free Jayne. Once he was out, Jayne helped Zoe and Mal helped Kaylee. Jayne got to work on Simon while Zoe and Mal tried to figure out a way to remove the chains all together. It'd be hard to run, especially under the radar, with their chains dangling about.

The loud door screeched and they all froze. Zoe and Mal exchanged a tacit glance, both agreeing to jump whoever was behind that door. As it swung all of the way open, River stood there with a tiny grin.

"Captain."

He instantly went to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She made a noise when they embraced, which caused him to pull back and see her mangled wrist. "What the hell happened?"

"Had to break my wrist to free myself from the restraints. Needed to come back to you."

Simon pushed Mal to the side to examine her injury and squeeze her until she could barely breathe. They shared a touching sibling moment, and she had a similar time when she embraced Kaylee. Zoe even hugged her while Jayne awkwardly waved. Mal was about to ask River if she had an idea about removing the chains, but she answered him before he could open his mouth.

"Set wrist cuffs on bench with the chain taught across the edge. Apply force repeatedly. Should snap."

They tried it with Jayne, and it worked. Mal and Jayne helped the others as quickly as they could before it was time to escape. The captain put his arm protectively—and somewhat possessively—around River's shoulders and turned to the crew. "Time for an escape."

"Serenity is docked two levels beneath," River informed them. "Must be quick. They will know within five minutes of leaving this cell. Have to beat them before they get to Serenity."

Everyone chimed in agreement and they rapidly exited the cell. Sure enough, the alarm sounded. They hurried, but it wasn't fast enough. Troops cut them off on either side of a hallway with no doors. Though River could take out half alone on a good day, there were too many high-power weapons. They'd be dead for even trying.

"I'm not surprised," Rex announced as he made his way to the front of the soldiers. "You two were always experts at escaping against all odds. We'll have to be more careful this time. Men, take everyone to maximum security. Except the girl. She wiped the tests and killed the doctors. We'll have to start over with different medical professionals."

"Didn't mean to kill them. No other option. She will dance again before you take her crew."

"Sweetheart, don't. There's no comin' back from that," Mal whispered as he pulled River deeper into his arms. His jaw set as his gaze steadied on their captor. "You ain't takin' her."

"Now, I am surprised. Malcolm Reynolds is in love. A bit young to be your girlfriend, isn't she?"

"You best mind your mouth, Rex. Unless you like the notion of losin' your tongue. I don't much care if you want to throw us in another cell, but I'll be damned if you experiment on _my_ reader."

Before Rex could respond, his fingers went to his ear. "I see. Tell them that we accept the offer," his hand dropped and he laughed gleefully. "Good news, Mal. I won't take your girl. I don't have to. The Alliance agreed to trade Serenity and her crew for one of their best scientists. Not just any scientist. One of the researchers who created the disaster on Miranda. With him, we can perfect our warriors and keep them from disobeying orders. Do you know what that means? Your crew, the one that exposed the origin of Reavers, will create the very Reavers that win us the war. Oh, you should feel honored. It's only a matter of time before we wipe the Alliance out completely. Your deaths will always be remembered."


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter Thirteen: Right Ideas**_

"Take them to Serenity. Put them in one of the passenger dorms. And, do use the device…" Rex instructed his men. He then turned to the crew of Serenity. "You still have a chance, Sergeant Reynolds. As do you, Corporal. Last offer."

Mal's jaw clenched harshly against the comment. "Go to hell."

"Fair enough. I'll see you there. Men, take them away. All of you. We can't risk another escape."

The troops on either side of the crew converged in a tight circle. Simon clung to Kaylee's hand while Jayne and Zoe stood together in silence. Mal still had River in his arms, and he only strengthened his hold as they were led like cattle to their ship. Upon arriving inside Serenity, they were put in one of the vacant passenger dorms to be sure they'd have no weaponry.

"You lot, erect the barrier. The rest of you, get them into the devices at any cost. Nobody allow them to escape. Keep your guns at the ready," the commander declared.

Quickly, some of the men got to work on something the crew couldn't see. The others surrounded them once more, with more than half of them at the door with guns, and produced six devices from a mysterious bag. They were collars, but only River and Simon knew what they were. When the men attempted to place collars on their necks, the crew all fought back. A few warning shots from fifteen guards at the door caused them to reconsider. The collars were activated and the troops left the crew alone. The guards remained beyond the walls.

"What're these?" Mal questioned.

Simon swallowed dryly. "Detention collars, Captain. They produce strong electric shocks when someone attempts to remove it or they try to break the electric barrier. I'm assuming that they've encased this entire room. We can't get out without a paralyzing burst."

"No way out," River informed them curtly. "Barrier completely surrounds this room."

Jayne grumbled and sat heavily on the bed. "So, we gotta just sit here and wait to die?"

"We ain't gonna die, are we?" Kaylee inquired.

The room was still. Mal looked to his reader. "River, do you know what they're planning?"

"No. Too far away."

Zoe joined Jayne's side and folded her arms anxiously. "What I don't understand is that the Alliance would trade us for one of their scientists. Why are we more valuable?"

"Maybehaps they think we could ruin their lives again," Mal suggested. "No tellin' just now. My question is how those people are finding enough bodies to make Reavers."

"Silent drafts and attacks," River provided. "Been drafting men for the war since Miranda. First wave became Reavers. Still use inept soldiers for Reaver mutations. Forcibly take others in the night. Doing anything for the bodies now. Normal people. Unsuspecting. Never know they'll wake up as a monster."

Jayne shook his head. "Gorramit, we gotta do something! That ain't right. There's gotta be a way to bust outta here."

"Even if someone could get through or get the collar off, there are fifteen armed guards outside and even more on this ship. Someone is bound to radio if there's a breech. As a doctor, I can safely say that no one could handle that electricity successfully. The only way to get the collars off is to have a guard deactivate it. That isn't going to happen," Simon grimly stated.

"Well, if I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die a married woman," Kaylee decided as she grabbed her doctor by the shirt. "Simon Tam, I think you're the shiniest guy in the verse. I want to spend my life with you, even if that's just the next few hours, and I want nothin' more than to be your wife."

He grinned in an adorable sort of way and went along with it. "Kaylee, you are everything I could ever hope for. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, even if that doesn't last past today, and I want to be your husband more than anything."

Most of the crew felt choked up by this meaningful exchange in such a dark time, but all it did for Jayne was make him think about the warrior woman beside him and the bet he lost. So, in typical fashion, he crashed the scene. "Would ya kiss already and get this thing done?"

Kaylee and Simon shared a brief and tearful kiss as everyone quietly applauded. River went to them for a moment, so Mal joined Jayne and Zoe on the bed. He sighed with a tiny smile. "Well, ain't that something? Couldn't of come at a better time."

"More like _about_ _time_, sir," Zoe smirked. "Took them long enough."

"Sometimes, it takes time for that kind of thing, Zoe. Now, seems like we don't got much time at all. I don't want to wait around for a death that ain't here yet, but it's lookin' more and more like we won't make it out of this one. Maybehaps the doc and little Kaylee have it right. Makin' the last hours count."

Zoe and Jayne exchanged timid glances while Mal's eyes fell on River. She was giggling with Kaylee about something, and Simon was grinning wider than Mal had ever seen. If they did die in the end, the newlyweds had the right idea. They were done wasting time and playing games. By the looks of it, an outsider would never know that something was wrong. That's the way it should be. Going out with happiness instead of sorrow. Light from darkness, as River had once said.

Mal went up to the Tams—which now included his mechanic—and fondly embraced the blushing bride. "I see the doc finally made an honest woman outta my mei mei."

"More like I made an honest man outta him, Cap'in," she laughed excitedly. "If we do get out, I was wonderin' if you could do me a favor."

He nodded. "Anything, little Kaylee."

"We'll probably get a real ceremony and all, so I was hopin' you'd walk me down the aisle."

"I'd be happy to," he happily responded. "Who will be your best man, doc?"

Simon turned a pale shade of yellow and turned to Jayne. "Zoe and River are going to be on Kaylee's side, so…you'd be on mine and the captain would join us. If that's…if you want…"

"Er, sure. Yeah…if I ain't busy or nothing…" Jayne fumbled.

Deep down, he was actually very happy that Simon would include him. This was particularly because Jayne was never very polite and tried to sell him once upon a time. At least, after everything, everyone could be a family. Mal was glad that he could stand up there with them too. He liked the doc and proudly shook the man's hand as a congratulations. Then, he turned to River as nerves took over his spine.

This was it. There was no other time. He had to tell her how he felt. His tongue was heavy and knotted and his mouth was like desert sand. After swallowing and moving closer to her, he began his little speech. "River, I have to talk to you about something. Well. I think. No. I feel that. Here's what I'm tryin' to say—"

"Seein' that we're one step from the grave, I gotta tell you," Jayne interrupted rather loudly. "Zoe, I sorta like you and I'd like to…er…buy you a drink. Dependin' on what the Alliance will do to us and all. I mean, if you want, and since I owe you the bet about Kaylee and getting knocked up 'fore her wedding…"

She smiled and ended his agitation. "I'd like that."

"Really?"

"We can count it as the money you owe me for that bet," she joked as relief washed over his face.

His head carefully nodded. "It's a deal."

Mal sighed. He was glad they finally got that out in the open, but it was his turn. River waited in front of him with a breathtaking smile and those big eyes looking up at him. He cleared his throat and tried it again. "Darlin', I was trying to explain that I. That we. That this. I mean to say that you're. Well…River, I wanted to tell you that I—"

Dramatically, the ship shifted and everyone slid into the back wall. Mal caught River in his arms, and Jayne accidentally caught Simon instead of Zoe. The men glanced at each other and Jayne quickly pushed him off. Kaylee went to the door and listened carefully. She shushed everyone and focused.

"Cap'in, the engine stopped. It weren't natural. Someone cut the power manually. She's gotta be docked someplace and those fellas don't want any chance that we can fly off. I can fix her fine, but they know it'll take me a bit. They'd get us before then."

"I reckon we're here," Jayne grumbled unenthusiastically. "Didn't take long. We must of met them not too far from Newhall."

"It'd make sense. It's an exchange, so they want their man close to the planet in case the Alliance goes against their word," Zoe agreed.

Simon scoffed with sarcasm. "The Alliance? Go against their word? _No_, they're an upstanding group of people…"

"That's my hubby," Kaylee spoke with pride as she went to his side. "Finally taught him a sense of humor. Only took three years."

The door opened and a massive collection of Browncoats forcefully grabbed them. Mal managed to keep a hold on River, but it wasn't easy. They were led to the cargo bay where a plethora of Alliance men waited with a scrawny scientist in a lab coat. Very carefully, the troops pushed the crew into the Alliance soldiers as the scientist was shoved to them. The crew was once against restrained.

"Your ship arrived. It's docked on the other side of our vessel. We're sending soldiers with you to ensure that you hold up your end of the bargain," the head Alliance man explained to the rebels.

The commander for the other side nodded. "Fine. Pleasure doing business with you."

With that, the crew was roughly taken onto the gigantic Alliance ship. After a maze of corridors, they reached the prison cell. They were all tossed inside and River went to the door. She shut her eyes and listened. When her eyelids flew open, she looked upon the crew with confusion.

"They're planning something. Something that could change everything. She can't understand the noise, only the urgency. No confirmed specifics. Only feelings."

"Is there any way to know for sure?" Mal wondered.

She tried again with a pained expression, and he instantly felt horrible for asking her. Upon finishing whatever it was that she was doing, she fell to the floor and Mal was there within milliseconds. His hand went to her clammy forehead, and his voice was tender. "Sweetheart?"

"River sees only agony. For everyone here. It's going to get much worse, Captain."

The crew exchanged worried faces and Mal's stomach dropped. What were these bastards planning to do with his crew?


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chapter Fourteen: Sentencing**_

"I'm goin' crazy in here," Jayne mumbled as he paced. They had been left alone in the cell for nearly four hours. "I don't much care for waitin' to be told if I'm livin' or dyin' today."

Mal glared. "Your pacing ain't making this much easier, Jayne."

"I can't just sit here, Mal. We should be thinkin' up a plan or something."

"We're in a maximum security ship with thousands of armed officers. What can we possibly do?" Simon questioned.

"You're the one that broke in and out of an Alliance place before. You gotta know something," Jayne disputed.

The doctor rolled his eyes. "It took me a year, every dime I had, and establishing contacts to orchestrate River's rescue. This is hardly the same thing."

"Jayne," Zoe spoke as she carefully took him by the elbow. "Let's just sit down and think about this rationally."

He listened to her and sat on one of the various shelf-like surfaces. Simon and Kaylee comforted one another, and Mal was busy with River. Ever since she warned them that things were going to get worse, she hadn't said a word. She was seated on the floor against the corner, and her eyes were glassy and directed at her boots. Mal had taken a silent position beside her on the ground and occasionally placed a soothing hand on her shoulder.

Thirty minutes of painful quiet later, the door to the cell became transparent. An officer stood at the door and used a speaker system to speak. "Welcome to our ship!"

"This welcome isn't so welcoming," Mal snarled.

"I just wanted to inform you that we are moving you from this cell. Fifty armed men are on either side of this hallway, so I greatly recommend that you play nicely. Even the slightest indication of an escape attempt will cause the soldiers to open fire. Hurry along. You're seeing the commander."

The door opened and they reluctantly followed, figuring that they'd be dragged out if they stayed put. Similarly to before, they were surrounded by troops and guided to an armored room. Once inside, they were each held in place by their own personal brute. The commander was waiting for them, so he spun from the window of the ship with a wide and devious smile on his weathered face.

"At last, we have Serenity and her crew. It's really an honor to meet you. It amazed all of us that such a small ship could do so much damage. I've brought you here to decide your sentence. Firstly, Serenity will be destroyed within the hour. Now, as for you, I'll start with Simon Tam…" he walked closer and stood a few inches from Simon's face. "You are sentenced to death by the Alliance for your numerous crimes, one of which is treason. We believe it's a fitting ruling for all you have done."

Kaylee struggled against her guard. "Don't you dare lay a hand on my husband!"

"Husband? Well, that's something. Ms. Frye—or shall I say Mrs. Tam—you will also be executed since we do not require you. In light of this development, you will be killed _before_ your husband so he can observe."

Simon attempted to break free, and that granted him a quick shock from a cattle prod of sorts from his soldier. Kaylee fought to get to Simon and also received a shock. Mal's glare settled on the commander. "Why are you doing this?"

"In time. All in time," the commander promised while moving to Jayne. "Ah, Jayne Cobb. I've heard that song about you. Can't say I liked it. But, the statue does you justice. Given that you are also no use to us, you will be killed with the newlyweds."

"Fine," Jayne spoke softly. "Just don't kill the rest of 'em."

"Don't worry, Mr. Cobb. They aren't going to be killed. We have a higher purpose for them. The Browncoats will stay with me. I believe they might have some useful information. As for our dear River Tam, we'll give her a welcome home party."

River shook her head. "She'll dance for everyone if you don't let her crew go."

"Serenity is a threat. That was proved three years ago. We are eliminating the ship and the crew to be certain that you won't interfere again. There's nothing you can do about that."

"Like hell," Mal replied. "You won't kill my crew, and you're never…_never_…taking River."

The commander waved it off. "Idle threats, and you know it. Now, soldiers, you know what to do."

Just like that, the soldiers started pulling Simon, Kaylee, and Jayne through the door. River was also being pulled, but she flipped out of the man's grasp. Mal and Zoe struggled to help her, yet they had the strongest guards of them all. Mal was helpless as the commander spoke the safe word, and he watched them carry River's sleeping body from the room.

"Men, bring them," the commander barked.

Mal and Zoe were dragged to chairs in the center of the room. Their legs were fastened to the chair with magnetic bands that stretched from ankle to ankle. The magnets were too strong to separate with force, so they allowed them to have use of their arms. Then, the men left and they had only the commander for company. He calmly sat across from them at the table with folded hands.

"So, you both are veterans of the Unification War. In all that time, you must have learned quite a lot about the Independents and how they run. You're going to tell me everything you know. Every soldier you met. Every tactical decision. Every secret base. Every weapon. And, everything you learned while you were on Newhall."

Neither Mal nor Zoe twitched.

"Someone has to start talking," the commander chimed. "I'll torture you until you speak."

"We've both been tortured," Mal replied calmly. "Nothing new to us. Face it, there's no way we're gonna talk. If you kill us, you can't get the info. Pain doesn't scare us. You're killing or taking everyone we care about. And, you're destroyin' our ship. What's the point of talking?"

The commander's eyes narrowed. "You'll get out of here alive and with a lot of money."

"What use is that?" Zoe pointed out. "There are things more important than money. There's friendship. Love. A home. You've destroyed it all."

Growing frustrated, the commander tried a different tactic. "Let's negotiate. What do you want? Other than your crew and your ship. You realize that you aren't getting any of them back. Might as well salvage the rest of your lives. You'll still have each other, like always. There has to be something."

Mal paused to think. He had to do something to escape the commander, save the crew, and save the ship. How could they get out of the restraints? They were magnetized. If Zoe got closer to him, maybe they could use the science of poles to drive the restraint away long enough for Mal to kick them off. They'd need to be alone. How could he get the commander to leave _and _come back with some type of weapon? That's when he got the idea.

Looking at Zoe, he gave her his best expression to secretly tell her to go along with the plan. "Zoe, I don't know _what_ we could do! I know this is hard on you, seeing that you won't get to say goodbye to your boyfriend, Jayne Cobb."

She took a second to process what he wanted her to say. They shared a few more expressions that meant, _"Sir, I don't get it..." _and _"Zoe, come on! You know this!"_ Her eyes lit up with understanding and she feigned tears. He pretended to console her. The commander was very perplexed.

"You're right, sir. This is very hard on me. I just wish that I had one more moment with him."

The commander grinned, thinking he had found a bargaining chip. "Say, I'll let you both have a goodbye with your crew…that is…if you start talking."

"What do you think, sir?" Zoe wondered.

He shook his head dramatically. "We can't."

"We have to," she argued.

"No, no. It wouldn't be right."

"Sir, you know what Jayne means to me."

He pretended to sigh and give in. "Okay, but only on a few conditions."

"You name it," the commander smiled.

"We can't trust that you'll really let us see them after we talk, so we'll only share half of what we know until it's a done deal. And, I would feel like a gorram traitor to my cause if I said anything. I swore I'd never talk. But, I wouldn't mind writing it down…"

The commander nodded. "That sounds fair. I'll go get a pen and paper. Just remember that there are cameras in here. I'll see everything you're doing."

"Understood. This poor, heartbroken woman must see her man at any cost."

With that, the commander briskly walked out. Zoe raised an eyebrow at Mal. "Good thinking, sir."

"Thank Jayne for fallin' in love with you. We can use the poles of the magnets to get out of these cuffs under the cover of the table. If the poles are the same, it'll push the magnet away so I can get out."

"Have you been reading?"

"No. I just listen real close when River talks. Act all upset again so you can move close-like."

Zoe put on her best fake cry and Mal helped to pull the heavy chair closer. He loudly said, "I know, Zoe. You just love him so much!"

"Stop saying that, sir," she growled under her breath. "We're just getting a drink."

He gave her a skeptical look and she tried to maneuver her restraint towards Mal. Sure enough, the magnets were so powerful that they didn't have to get too close. It came up and he easily slipped out of the restraints. The door reopened and he went back to consoling the "troubled" Zoe. Since it was a large table and he stayed put, the commander didn't think twice.

"Here's your paper and pen, Captain Reynolds. Start writing."

Mal paused and glanced at him carefully. "I'm having a hard time. I feel _so_ disloyal…I'm a disgrace!"

"No. It's okay. You're saving yourself. That's what counts."

"Can I ask one more thing?" Mal asked in a weak voice. "Can you maybe make it so nobody else sees this? I don't want it hauntin' me in real images too. The ones I'll have in my head will be bad enough. If you do, I'll tell you everything I know. I know the secret weapon of the New Independents. We saw it on Newhall. You can know everything. Just don't let anybody watch me do this. I can't take it."

Though he was hesitant to comply, he figured the restraints would hold and he didn't need to worry about an escape. So, he went to the wall and shut down the cameras. He returned and pointed at the paper. "Go ahead, Captain. You'll feel better. I promise."

Shakily, he started to write. He wrote for a few minutes and tearfully shoved the first page towards the commander. The first two lines were things about the war before, and they were things Mal knew to be obsolete. The rest were random sentences such as: _apples took my coffee to Greenleaf for a Buddhist shindig._ As the commander continued reading and became increasingly perplexed, Mal leapt across the table and sent the ink pen into the commander's neck. River faintly told him of a similar attack she had carried out once before when she spoke of her nightmares, and it stuck with him. He might as well put it use.

"Where's my crew?" Mal demanded from the dying commander.

He choked on blood as he spoke. "I won't tell you."

"Do you want to know the secret weapon? Tell me where my crew is and I'll tell you. Maybe you'll live and get to stop the rebellion. You never know."

"Fine. Your crew…the ones to be killed…they're on the upper deck in the medical lab called T9. River…she's with the others…lowest deck. Your ship is where you left it. What is the ruttin' secret?"

"They're makin' their own Reavers for soldiers in their war," Mal told him. A second later, he kicked the pen further into the commander's throat, and he promptly died. "Let's get going."

He undid Zoe's restraints using his old ones. As he went for the door, Zoe stopped him. "Sir…how are we supposed to move about this ship without getting caught?"

"Oh. My plan didn't go that far."

Gorramit.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter Fifteen: Too Simple **_

"Well, he went to that other room for a pen and paper. Maybe it's his office and we can use something in there. I doubt they'd put cameras in the commander's office," Mal decided as he quickly went to the door.

Zoe followed him and they carefully entered the office. Mal was correct about the cameras, so he instantly rifled through desk drawers while Zoe went to his control console. She poked around and oddly left the room. She returned with a bloody keycard and swiped it to gain access.

"Did River teach you anything with technology, sir?"

"She tried. I got lost after the first minute. Can you work that thing?"

She sighed. "I can give it a shot. Why didn't we wait for him to _take us_ to the others like he promised?"

"You know what their promises are worth. Even if he took us to them, I conjure it'd be too late. Besides, I doubt we couldn't of pulled off an escape with all them troops around. We need to get there without the cameras. Can you turn them off from there?"

"More than likely, but it'll raise suspicion. We need a cover. A diversion."

He snapped his fingers. "I'll get on the intercom and say they've got Reavers roaming freely on their ship. Somewhere away from T9 and the lower level."

"They'd know if they had Reavers, sir. Who else does the Alliance hate?"

Together, they said, "Browncoats."

"Shiny. They were on the ship. We'll say they've got stowaways that took down the cameras. I'll check to see if I can find the plans for this place. That way, we can make sure everybody gets out of our way. Keep on getting those cameras down, Zoe."

While he went through stacks of papers, Zoe worked on shutting down the cameras. Mal found the plans for the ship from a written emergency escape procedure. He picked a place far from T9 and the lower level. Then, he waited until Zoe gave him the go ahead.

"This might do it," she told him calmly. "Be ready for the report, sir."

She hit the button and the camera feed shutdown. He went to the nearest intercom and used his most terrified tone. "Alert, a group of Browncoats is on the ship. They've cut the camera feed. We believe they're on M2 near the South Stairwell. All available troops report to M2. Repeat, all available troops repeat to M2. Neutralize intruders. This is not a drill."

They paused and heard boots moving away from their position. Zoe looked at Mal with a faint smirk. "Good work, sir. We'll still have a few guards out there."

"I'm countin' on it."

Together, they reentered the other room and Mal gave Zoe hand signals to hide against the wall near the door. He mouthed quietly, "Say the commander is down."

She nodded and began to frantically scream, "Help! The commander fainted! It might be a heart attack!"

When the doors flew open, Mal and Zoe pounced on two of the guards. As soon as the guards were down, they stole their weapons and took out the other two. After stealing their weapons as well, they headed for the stairs and for T9.

"Stop!" Simon yelled desperately. "Stop hurting her!"  
The Alliance men were using their cattle prods on Kaylee as she was tied to a table. When they wouldn't stop, Jayne attempted to get their attention. "Hey! Pick on somebody your own gorram size! Or are you scared I'll get out and break yer necks?"

Jayne's taunt drew the three men away from Kaylee. They started on him, as apparently these men wanted to cause as much suffering as possible, and he handled it fairly well. Simon tried to escape again, but the restraints were tight and only deactivated by the computer. Instead, he looked at his bride with fear and pain.

"Kaylee?"

She could hardly keep her eyes open. "I love you, Simon."

"I love you too. Hold on. The others will come for us."

Just as he said it, the door opened and Mal and Zoe appeared. Four dead guards were on the ground, and Zoe held the entry card in the air. The Alliance men looked at them in confusion, but they didn't look for long. Mal and Zoe killed them all in less than a minute and darted into the room to get the situation.

"Tell me everything," Mal ordered.

Simon's eyes fell on the console. "Our restraints are controlled by that. If you swipe their card and enter the code, we'll be freed."

"Code?" Zoe repeated.

"I saw it. It's a color lock. Red, red, yellow, blue, yellow, green."

Mal went to free them as Zoe went to check on Jayne. "You good?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah. I think you owe me a drink."

He grinned as the restraints popped open. She helped him down and Simon ran to Kaylee. Her legs were hardly able to support her, so Simon picked her up. Mal was glad to see his crew alive and in one piece. He gave his plan and orders to the room in a commanding voice.

"They're going to destroy Serenity if we don't get to her first. Jayne and Zoe, lead the rescue. Take Kaylee with you so she can get that engine workin' nice-like if she can. Simon, you're coming with me to get River. If they've done anything to her, I'll need your help to undo it and get her home. Are we good?"

Nobody argued. Simon kissed Kaylee and gently passed her to Jayne. She said that she could handle walking, so Zoe led the way with her gun at the ready. Simon looked at the captain nervously. "Do you know where she is?"

"Lower level. They didn't say where and the plans for the ship had it blacked out. I'm guessin' it's some secret area or maximum security holding pen. There's a stairwell that goes all the way down not too far. We have to move."

He agreed and they took off for the stairwell. By the time they got halfway down, a voice came over the system. "The Browncoats are not on the ship. It was a false alarm. The cameras will be up in a matter of minutes. Back to your stations. Repeat, back to your stations."

"Gorramit, we gotta pick up the pace, doc."

They took the stairs a few at a time, and often they leapt down the flights all together. Once they reached the bottom, a heavily armored door sat before them with a large guard. He opened fire on Mal and Simon, but Mal managed to get him between the eyes before he could call anything in or hit them. He grabbed the card from the dead man's pocket and swiped.

"Captain, that was too simple. Something isn't right."

"Not now, doc. We have to get to River. Then, we'll worry about everything else."

Upon entering the lower level, they were met with a labyrinth of hallways. Almost every door was some kind of lab. The next hallway had nothing but prison cells. There was no way to tell who was inside or how to open it. They both stopped to think of something, anything, to find out where River could be. Then, luck was on their side.

A voice somewhere nearby ordered, "Get Tam to the line."

Mal didn't bother wondering what the line could mean. He took off with his gun ready for action, and Simon sprinted to keep up. They turned through more hallways with strange rooms that had the oddest titles. What did they need a ballet room for?

Finally, they saw a large room not unlike a cargo bay. There were no guards or men that they could see, so they ran for it. There was no cargo in this room. There wasn't much of anything. Unless, you count the hundred or more girls standing in some type of formation. They weren't dressed in military uniforms. In fact, they looked like average girls between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five. That's when Mal saw River standing in the front.

"River!" he shouted as he ran to her. "River, sweetheart, we're takin' you home."

Her eyes were blank and stared ahead. Simon joined Mal and cursed in Chinese. "They got to her."

"Darlin', look at me. It's me. We gotta go."

There was no response. The sound of boots on a metal catwalk got their attention. A decorated Alliance officer stood above them with a grin. "I see you've met our army."

"Army?" Simon repeated. It hit him like a bolt of lightning. "They're using the girls from the Academy as human weapons in their war."

"Precisely. At first, we were only concerned with the Browncoats. Now that Reavers are mysteriously attacking our battlefields, we need soldiers who can handle themselves. Our program has been building to something of this scale. It's a wonderful day for us."

Mal glared and went back to River. He put his hands on her shoulders and stared into her eyes. "You have to come back to me, albatross. We have to stop them. I need you."

Her eyes watered, but nothing else moved. Simon stepped forward with his fists clenched. "What did you do to my sister?"

"We reactivated her. Didn't take long. We accelerated the program. Just a few needles in the brain. Fixed her broken bones. Now, she'll serve us very well. I knew that both of you would come for her."

"You let us get in here. You let us escape in the first place…" Mal understood. "Why?"

"River has her orders. Her first mission is to personally kill and destroy Serenity. We have to be certain that she can kill her own family to ensure that the programming was a success. I believe that it will be. By the way, Dr. Tam, she no longer responds to that safe word."

Mal focused on River. "You can fight this. I know you can. You have to. I have a lot more I wanna say to you, sweetheart."

"River, go," the man spoke.

Slowly, River blinked and turned her head to the side. Mal backed away and grabbed Simon's sleeve. "Can you do something?"

"I can't know what they did without a brain scan. I try to reach her," he answered as he edged closer to her. "River, it's Simon. It's your brother."

She stared at him before her fist connected with his jaw. Her boot struck his chest and Mal had to catch him. He coughed and directed his gaze on Mal. "We can't do anything right now, Captain."

"We ain't leavin' her here!"

Simon regained balance and led Mal backwards as River approached. "Captain, I can get to her. I can fix this just like before. But, I need equipment. I need time. I don't want to leave her either, but she'll kill us if we stay."

River went to kick Simon in the head, but Mal pulled him to safety. Mal gazed into River's empty eyes, and he saw a single tear fall down her cheek. She was still in there, and the doctor was right. They needed a safe and effective strategy, and they needed the rest of the crew for it to work. Mal grabbed Simon by the collar and made a run for it.

No matter what it would take, Malcolm Reynolds would save his River.


	16. Chapter 16

_**Chapter Sixteen: She Won't Stop**_

Simon and Mal ran towards the ship with River in pursuit. They swept right by a few of the guards, but it was strange that the guards didn't try to shoot. When Mal looked back, he saw that River had killed them and taken their guns. He picked up the pace and pulled Simon along. However, River took a shot. If it hadn't been for Mal taking a sudden left with the doc dragging beside him, the bullet would have hit Simon's heart. Instead, it his shoulder.

The doctor fell to the floor from the sheer force of the blow. Mal stopped and helped him up, but River was about to take another shot at Simon. The captain shoved him forward against the wall, causing the next bullet to miss all together.

"The ship is where we left it," Mal instructed. "Go. I'll handle River."

"Whatever you do, don't kill her."

Mal was insulted by the notion. "I wouldn't ever do that. Get going."

As Simon ran, bullets chased him. He managed to get to the stairwell safely. Mal stood his ground with his gun pointed at her. River stopped about six feet in front of him with her gun aimed at his head. This was all too familiar. He remembered the Maiden Head clearly, but then he had Simon to keep them both from pulling the trigger.

Their eyes were locked. He swallowed dryly and tried one last time. "Sweetheart. Don't."

Her entire arm trembled as fear filled her eyes. It was the same look as two years ago. She slowly lowered the gun and Mal did the same. Gracefully, she moved closer to him. He smiled with relief. He got through to her? Well, not exactly. She punched him in the stomach and moved by him. Without a doubt, she was going to Serenity to kill the others. Mal couldn't let that happen.

Pain crushed his heart as he pointed his gun at her leg. He shut his eyes and pulled the trigger. When he glanced, she was down. It wouldn't be long before she kept going, so he leapt over her with tears stinging his eyes. Once he reached the stairwell, he darted up the steps, and all he could think was: _River, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, darlin'._

Matters got worse as he reached Serenity. It was a battlefield of its own. Zoe was holding off frontal attacks while Simon attempted to shoot the men climbing on top of the ship. He wasn't doing too badly, considering this was Simon. Jayne appeared seconds later with grenades. It took out enough men for Zoe to assist Simon as Jayne took her position. Mal shot a few as he ran by corpses to the cargo bay.

"Gorram, Mal. I'm happy to see you…for once. We need the backup," Jayne gruffly shouted over the gunfire.

"Report?" he returned while shooting one in the chest.

Zoe was the one to answer. "Kaylee got the engine runnin' a while ago."

"What's the hold up?"

"Sir, there's a bomb on the ship. They won't blow it while we're docked. It'd take half this ship with it. If we don't shut it down, we'll be faced with an explosion. Kaylee's trying to disarm it."

He rolled his eyes. Of course it had to be complicated. Briskly, he entered the ship and searched for Kaylee. The bomb was hidden beneath the floor near their bunks. She was on her stomach with all sorts of tools. He crouched beside her. "Little Kaylee?"

"Almost, Cap'in. Either these wires will stop the bomb or it'll just make it blow."

"Wait, make it blow?"

She smiled nervously. "I mean, it probably won't. It might. This ain't an exact science or nothin'. At least, not for me. I'm doin' all I can. Movin' is a mite painful, but I won't give up on my shiny girl."

"I know you can do it, mei mei. Just work as fast as you can. We need an exit."

He patted her on the head and went back to the heat of battle. The four of them fought together as a unit, and they were making some progress. It wasn't long before Mal spotted River in the back of the room. She went to the nearest man and snapped his neck. Why was she taking them out? Then, he remembered. It was her job to kill them. Nobody else could do it but her.

"River," Simon muttered. "She's coming. She's _bleeding_. Captain!"

"I had to slow her down. That's the end of this discussion. Tell Kaylee she has three minutes to get that thing offline."

Simon ran inside while Jayne and Zoe kept shooting. River had taken out almost half of the Alliance men in just a few moments. She was getting closer, and Simon appeared to deliver the news, "Kaylee needs more time. She said it'll be just two more minutes."

"That's too gorram long! Get her to do it!" Mal demanded.

He went back to Kaylee while Zoe glanced at Mal. "Sir, what do we do?"

"Get inside. Shut the door but leave the ramp down. I'll hold things off."

"Are you sure?" she repeated, knowing full well that this was his River and emotions could be an issue.

He sent a hard glare. "Get your boyfriend and get inside. It's an order."

"Boyfriend?" Jayne repeated enthusiastically.

It was Zoe's turn to glare. She grabbed Jayne by the shirt and they went inside. The ramp remained open, but the door was down. Mal continued to pick off the Alliance, but River was taking care of that. Soon, it was down to River and Mal. They stared and she dropped her gun. He holstered his and watched her dress swish as she walked.

When she got close enough, she punched his jaw and attempted to go around him. He got a hold of her shoulders and pushed her back. She kicked his legs out from under him, so he pulled her legs to cause her to fall. She landed beside him and looked into his eyes. He carefully moved to put a hand on her cheek, so she grabbed his wrist and twisted it only enough to sprain. He leapt to his feet and she did the same.

"You don't have to do this," he told her. "You don't have to…dance…for them."

She held her position. They were interrupted by Jayne banging on the door. He could hear his muffled voice say, "Mal! Kaylee's done! We're getting' out of here!"

Mal wished that he could take River with him, but he knew that he couldn't. He walked towards her as the ship began to lift from the ground. She started to run for the door again, so he swiftly grabbed her and shoved her to the edge of the ramp. While she was still stunned, he had to push her off completely. She landed on the floor and he ran for the door. The ramp closed and he got into the cargo bay.

"Kaylee was able to get control of this ship's the doors. We're gettin' gone. Zoe's flying her," Jayne informed Mal.

Mal was too emotional to speak, so he went to the bridge. He sat heavily on the copilot's chair silently. Zoe flew from the Alliance ship and gave Serenity all the power they could. With shots in the black, they managed to escape without any damage. Once they felt a level of security, Zoe glanced at the captain from the pilot's seat. It was so wrong that River couldn't be in that chair.

"Sir."

That's all she needed to say. "She'll keep comin' and comin' until we're dead or she is. Unless the doc can find a way to undo it. We need to change our tracking pattern. Avoid thinkin' of any plans. Maybehaps find a new hideout she can't know of. And, we gotta keep clear of the New Independents and the Alliance."

"I'll be sure it's done. She ain't lost, sir. Simon will do anything to get her back."

"He ain't the only one. I know she's in there, Zo. She could of killed me ten times over, and she didn't even try. But, she won't stop trying to get this ship and this crew. I can't kill her."

"You couldn't do it. You wouldn't ever hurt her."

He scoffed. "I shot her in the leg. Had to throw her outta this ship. Let her get taken."

"There was nothing you could do. You did what you had to, sir."

"I never told her," he muttered with a vacant expression. "I never told her that I…"

Zoe smiled comfortingly. "You'll get to. In time. She'll be back in this pilot's seat before you know it. But, sir, we need to talk."

"About what?"

"Jayne thinks we're a couple."

"You are."

"We aren't."

"Right. And, Simon and Kaylee are just friends. Oh, and Serenity ain't wanted by every damn person in the verse. Ooh, River don't mean a gorram thing to me. And—"

"Your sarcasm is completely misplaced. _We are not a couple_."

He sighed in defeat. "Fine, fine. I'll stop. You take a break. I'll stay up here. While you're at it, go kiss your boyfriend. I'm sure he's missed you."

Glaring, she pointedly got up and walked off the bridge. Mal sat in the pilot's chair. As always, he could _feel _River there. His hand slid across the console as he sighed, "I'm getting you back, albatross."

In the infirmary, Simon had finished his self-suture on his shoulder and was pouring over River's medical files. Kaylee slid into the infirmary behind him and embraced his waist. He clung to her and painfully murmured, "We'll get her back, won't we?"

"Of course we will, honey. Everyone on this ship loves her. Well, Jayne fondly tolerates her, but he'll do whatever Zoe says these days. You know the cap'in won't sleep 'til he saves her. He loves her as much as you do."

Simon smirked. "You mean that he's in love with her. I sort of figured that out over the last few days."

"About time, husband. We'll save River. I'm just glad that we didn't die. I wanna have an official-like ceremony and River's gonna be right next to me. We'll have a real shiny wedding. I'll wear my frilly dress and you can be in a vest. Maybe a little bow tie. Then, we'll get old and crabby together. Have a bunch of little Tams on this boat. And they'll have plenty of cousins."

"Cousins?"

"River and Mal's kids. Maybehaps Zoe and Jayne can toss in a few."

Simon made a face. "I don't want to think about my sister and anybody…or Jayne and anybody…"

"Okay, okay. Jus dreamin' is all. I think we need some of that right now. Especially you and the cap'in. Maybe you should go up there. Talk to him about a plan or somethin'. It'll help you both."

"Yes dear," Simon grinned as he pecked her on the forehead.

As Simon cut through the kitchen, he found Jayne and Zoe sharing that drink he had promised. He faintly heard Jayne say something about boyfriends and Zoe tell him that it was just a drink. When he reached the bridge, he knocked and Mal turned to him. Mal's face fell.

"Here to lecture me about your sister?"

"No. I realize that you did what was necessary. I thought that maybe we could talk about a plan. To get her home."

He nodded and pointed to the other seat. Simon sat as Mal breathed carefully. "She'll come for us. We gotta be ready. Do you know how we can stop her and get that program from her mind?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure where to begin. A brain scan might be helpful, but that'd mean breaking into another Core hospital. There's a chance that they've given her a new safe word. The word deactivated her training before, so maybe it can do it again. We'd have to break into a heavily guarded Alliance building to gain access to her file."

"Then that's what we'll do."

Simon frowned with worry. "Captain, this plan is highly dangerous. This crew and this ship mightn't come back from it. Is that something you're willing to risk?"

"What do you think?" he shot back with a rough gaze.

"I just needed to be sure. River means everything to me, and I'm willing to do anything to get her home. It's killing me that we had to leave her behind, but I know that panicking and grieving won't help. She needs everyone to stay focused. We can't let our emotions ruin our chances of saving her."

Mal sent a confused look. "You make it sound like you're talking about me."

"I am. Love is a funny thing, Captain. It makes a person stronger than they could ever hope to be, but it also makes them the weakest. In my mind, love can do just about anything as long as we use our weakness as a strength. I'm going to see if I can get in touch with my old contacts. They might be able to help. Let me know if you need me."

He left Mal to look at the stars in silence. Did everyone on his boat know how he felt for River? In any case, the doctor had some wisdom in that brainy head. Simon's words washed over him, and he couldn't help wondering where his albatross was at that moment.

On the Alliance vessel, River Tam flew from the hangar in a small ship. She was coming for them.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Chapter Seventeen: Battlefield**_

Later, Simon gathered the crew to discuss a lead. They sat around the kitchen in a solemn calm. Simon clutched Kaylee's hand for comfort and strength, and even Zoe and Jayne sat close enough together to bump elbows each time they moved. Mal stood at the head of the table and swallowed his pain. This wasn't right. He should be sitting with River, and they should be talking about where to have their next picnic.

"When I first rescued River, I had help from a small group. They used to be Alliance a long time ago. The leader of the group maintains strong connections with the Alliance, and she uses her informants to help people like me. I don't know much else about them, but I managed to find her. I told her that we needed her help, and she is willing to give us information and possibly assistance. It comes at a high price. It would wipe out all the money I have, and it would not be enough. I would need the rest of you to help pay for it."

"You know that you can have every bit of my money, sweetie," Kaylee assured him with a bright smile.

Zoe glanced at Jayne, and he nodded. She gave Simon a warm expression. "We're both in."

"Don't bother askin' me. You all know the answer," Mal said softly.

Simon breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I'll tell her that we'll pay. She said that she's on Paquin. I'll get the details of the meet as soon as possible."

"You do that. We'll head for Heinlein. Hide out close-like. The protostar should temporarily mask our signal for a bit and we'll be close for the meet. I'll set the course. Everyone else, get your money ready."

Kaylee looked at him strangely. "The protostar should mask our signal for a spell? Where'd you learn that, Cap'in?"

"He listens real close to River," Zoe provided.

Mal glared. "Shouldn't you be kissin' on your boyfriend or something?"

She turned pink as Jayne and Kaylee snickered. Amusedly, Mal left for the bridge and set the course. Simon got in touch with his contact and set the appointment. Thankfully, she was free to meet them in at a race track in only a few hours. The ship kept close to the dwarf star and waited. Mal's quick thinking, which was completely based on a trick River pulled a year earlier during a hot getaway, blocked their signal and River Tam's search. It was only a matter of time before she would able to zero in on their location.

"This is the race track," Simon announced as he, Kaylee, and Mal moved in for the meet. "She said to meet her in the stands. Section 234, row J."

Mal nodded and they went for it. He left the lovebirds, though they still denied it, on Serenity. Since they were both great fighters, they'd be able to thwart any attacks that might come. Kaylee found the correct row and they gathered on the steps.

"What's she look like?" Kaylee questioned.

Simon paused to think. "She's petite. Brunette. Young. Hair always in a neat bun. Very put together."

"Ain't nobody like that here. The rich folks are in the box to bet on their horses," Mal grumbled at the idea that this could be a false lead.

Then, they heard the voice. "If it isn't the loving brother!"

She had been in front of them the whole time. Simon didn't even recognize her. She had deep lines in her face that was mostly hidden by a ragged sun hat. Her once tiny frame was replaced with bulging muscles and hardy bulk. The clothes didn't match and were covered with holes and dirt. Apparently, life as a horse farmer had changed her quite a lot. She stood and extended her rough hand to Simon. They shook and all sat down.

"Interesting place for a meet," Mal commented quietly.

"Please. Nobody will suspect you giving me money here. I have a winning horse in that race. Besides, these folks are all too focused on their bids. You have the money?" she questioned quietly as the announcer prepared to start the race.

Simon held the suitcase open to show her the money. "It's all there. You'll get it after we talk."

"Fair enough. I did some digging. You aren't going to like it. Since we got her out, they've made some changes to the program. Somehow, they found a way to expedite the training. There are no safe words anymore. In fact, they don't plan to deactivate the girls at any time. The Alliance will use their assassins to win the war, and after that they'll use them to maintain control. To my contact's knowledge, you can't change the programming."

Mal and Kaylee were lost to their emotional thoughts. Simon held it together. "I was able to do it before. I found the right medications and we got her back."

"But, you saved her _before _her training was complete. That's the only way it worked."

"There has to be something we can do," Mal argued.

She sighed and took off her hat to reveal frizzy locks. "There is one thing. If you really are her target, she will not stop until you're wiped out. So, you have to stop her first. Either she dies, or you do."

"We ain't killin' her!" Kaylee cried. "She's my sister. My best friend. There's got to be another way."

"If there is, we don't know about it. You're welcome to break into one of the Core bases, but you'll end up dead anyhow. I don't even know what you'd look for."

Simon clung to his suitcase of cash. "If that's all you have to say, I'm not paying you for telling me to kill my sister."

"It's not. Easy, doc. I have something else. It could involve her, but I can't promise anything. The Alliance wants you so badly because they don't want you to share any other secrets. They knew a ship like Serenity would start poking around once the war began, and I know that you did. You found something on the New Independents. What do you know?"

"We know enough," Mal thundered. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Well, you can end the war. There's a third political group that started with the first war. Slowly, it's built followers all over the Verse. We'll kept quiet until we have our time. We're called the Unity. We don't think there should be complete control, but we don't think we should be divided. Every system will have its own government, but they will work together. It's about peace, not destruction. The Unity doesn't fight since it was created by an organization of Buddhist monks. So, the only way we can save this Verse is for the other groups to fall. Expose what you know about the Browncoats and expose the Alliance's Academy. After that, the Unity will swoop in and restore order. Maybe, if you expose the Academy, they'll be forced to deactivate your girl and the rest."

Mal intently stared. "Would you and yours help?"

"We can, but only to a degree. I'll use this money to pay off my informants. They'll get proof of the Academy. It's up to you to get it out there. We would handle it ourselves, but it'd expose our operation and we don't have anything on the Browncoats. That's where you come in. Do you have tangible proof of whatever you know?"

The captain shook his head. "Only what we saw with our own eyes."

"Okay. Then, get some proof and contact me. You can stop by my horse farm. Any cash I have left over from getting the information will be refunded. Together, we'll end this madness."

Simon pushed the suitcase to her. "We'll be in touch."

The crew headed back to Serenity. They filled Jayne and Zoe in on the situation, but Jayne had a very good point. "How 'xactly are we gonna expose everybody with no gorram evidence or ways of sendin' it out there?"

"We go into a battle," Mal declared.

Zoe was shocked. "Sir? A battle?"

"If we can get a capture of the Browncoats sending in the Reavers or get a transmitter on that ship…maybehaps a bug….we'll have proof. Even just a capture of the war might help. Seeing those girls fightin' Reavers that can talk and move in units. Once we got all that, we can find someplace with a big cortex to send it out to everyone."

Kaylee snapped her fingers. "Mr. Universe's moon! If they've wrecked the backup generator, I can fix it up all shiny. If they haven't, even better. We can use it!"

"They might expect that," Mal disputed. "We don't know what's on that moon since we left. The Alliance could of leveled everything. Destroyed it all."

"It's an option, sir. Do you know of anywhere with a system capable of sending a message to _everywhere_ that isn't owned by the Alliance?"

He paused and Simon took Kaylee's hand. "Captain, we have to try."

"Fine. I'll find an active battleground. We need some recording equipment made or stolen. Let's get moving on this. We have a war to end and a pilot to bring home."

They went in different directions. Mal went to the bridge and did some research until he came across Hera, which had been a toehold for the Independents back in his day. They were there fighting once again, and it seemed the bullets started a week ago and hadn't stopped since. There were no reports of Reavers, but it did say that the Alliance was winning. The Reavers would be there any time to tip the odds back in their favor.

He set the course and chose to catch a few hours of sleep along the way. It had been two hours when a proximity alert harshly woke him. He looked to the various screens and realized that it was an Alliance vessel. It was tiny, but it had powerful weapons. Zoe and Jayne came running onto the bridge together to see what was happening.

"Sir?"

"Alliance ship. It's one of the single fliers."

Jayne glanced at the screen. "Gorram…it's gotta be River. They wouldn't send nobody else alone to deal with us. Why ain't she shootin' at the ship?"

"Probably ordered to kill us nice and personal-like. We ain't far from Hera. If we can get down there and in the middle of everything, she'll work on the soldiers and not us. It's her kill. She'll protect us…just to kill everybody on this boat by hand. We gotta get that proof and get it out there 'fore she gets to us. Have everything ready. We'll need a quick exit."

They went to get everything together while Mal kept a close watch on the Alliance ship. When they reached Hera, it didn't take long to find the fighting. No Reavers or young assassins had appeared just yet. As soon as they touched down, Jayne and Zoe went ahead. Mal gave orders to Simon and Kaylee.

"Lock this ship down tight. If anybody tries to get at you, get on a shuttle and get out. We'll deal with it later. Let us know if you need to leave. Remember to _lock this ship_. Nobody in or out. I'll contact you when we're ready to get onboard."

"Yes, Cap'in. We'll be good," Kaylee promised as she gave him a brief embrace.

He nodded respectfully to Simon and went after Jayne and Zoe. After all that he had gone through in the war, he swore never to set foot on a battlefield again as a soldier. Though he didn't have a side, he was still in the middle of everything. Two years ago, he found something to fight for: revealing Miranda. However, in time, he realized that it was _someone _to fight for. He'd be a soldier, he'd be anything, as long as it was for her.

In the center of the Alliance line, River Tam stood as if she belonged there. She caught his eye. It had begun.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Chapter Eighteen: Progress**_

Mal held her gaze for only an instant. Then, he fled to join Zoe and Jayne. Given their brown colored coats, they decided to blend into their army. At least that would leave only one side to shoot at them. It brought back some difficult memories for the two war veterans, but they were willing to face their demons to restore order in the Verse and their crew.

"Sir, when exactly are those Reavers supposed to show? This battle is getting heated."

He sighed. "Zoe, what did we do when we were losin' a battle? We'd bring in reinforcements, and they were usually Special Forces. I'm telling you. The Reavers will come."

"Gorram, there's River," Jayne commented as he watched her brutally kill three Alliance soldiers. "She's takin' out her own side!"

"Keep it together and _do not _shoot River. I don't care if she's got you in a chokehold. No one uses a gun on her or I'll use one on you," Mal barked with a terrible flashback to shooting her himself.

It took longer than they would have liked, but the faux Alliance ship appeared adjacent to the battlefield. Zoe spotted it first and tapped Jayne on the shoulder. He nodded and Mal noticed the vessel for himself. Jayne had the capture, so he sneaked closer to record the Reavers exiting the ship. This time, since they had gotten aboard before, a Browncoat lurked near the entrance as a guard. It was perfect for the capture.

Jayne went back to Zoe and Mal swiftly. "I got it! There's a Browncoat right in the door. I got him in view!"

"Great work," Zoe grinned.

"Well, ya know, jus' doin' my part…"

Mal coughed to break up the moment. "Let's get to phase two. Jayne, you have rear guard. Zoe, splice the bug into the intercom. I'll get the tracker in place. We gotta be quick before they take us again."

They moved like a well-organized unit. Mal punched the guard hard enough to knock him out cold. Jayne kept watch while Zoe got to work on the intercom. He glanced back curiously. "You know how to do that?"

"I've been on my share of beetle class ships. It's not that hard. This'll reverse the speakers so we can hear them all over the ship without it being online."

"Smart. I like that."

Mal groaned from his place beneath the grated floor. "Stop makin' eyes at each other! We're on a job here! I've got the tracker in. Zoe?"

"All set, sir."

When they turned to leave, ten Reavers were running towards the ship. They started shooting, but it didn't slow them down. A few were killed, but the rest were only severely upset. The Browncoats on the ship came running when they heard the commotion, and they leaped into the battle to help the intruders. After all, Reavers were worse than anybody else.

The four Browncoats were killed by their own Reavers. Their captain attempted to make them stand down, but River was right. The Reavers were too smart to take orders. They were totally out of control…like the situation.

"Should we make a run for it?" Zoe questioned while kicking one in the head.

"One at a time! Maybe they won't notice if we keep 'em busy!" Mal shouted over the Reavers and their gun fire.

Zoe went first with Jayne and Mal covering her. Jayne followed and Mal started to run after him. When he did, a Reaver leapt in front of his boots. The monster's hands were wrapped around his throat and he struggled to break free. His breath was quickly waning, and he wasn't sure how far away his crew had gotten. They mightn't be around to help him. Once they realized he was taking a long time, he'd be dead.

Then, the Reaver just stopped. Its eyes were wild and panicked. Slowly, the hands slid from Mal as the creature collapsed. A large knife stuck from its back. More than likely, the blade penetrated the heart. Mal stared at the corpse with a confounded expression. As his gaze drifted upwards, he saw River still in position. Given her stance, she was the one that saved him.

"River?" he called hopefully, though he knew there was no way she'd be okay.

She turned on her heel and walked away from him. More specifically, she walked towards the last place Mal saw his crew. Cursing, Mal followed her to see where she was going. Jayne and Zoe were pinned down against a few boulders by Alliance men, no wonder they didn't come for Mal, so both Mal and River started picking off the soldiers. Once they were all handled, River and Mal stood breathless and looking at Zoe and Jayne.

"Moonbrain's okay? You got her back?" Jayne questioned.

River pointed her gun right at his head.

"Guess not," he mumbled as he drew his weapon.

Mal leapt and knocked Jayne to the side. River's bullet missed and Jayne didn't get a chance to fire. "Damn it, Mal! You about snapped my neck!"

"Better than your brains on those rocks. Run for the ship. _No shooting River!_"

With that, Zoe and Jayne fled for the ship. Mal went right after them with River on his tail. It was a chase, pure and simple. Zoe contacted Simon and Kaylee to tell them to lower the ramp. They got to Serenity just as the ramp lowered. Jayne and Zoe backed inside while shooting at nearby Reavers and soldiers, and once again Mal was stopped by a Reaver.

"Never my day," he groaned as the beast tackled him.

Before Zoe pulled the trigger on it, River drew a sword and sliced its head. The head rolled away and she turned on Zoe and Jayne. She started shooting and walking toward the ship. Mal got to his feet and ran past her. He shut the ramp right before she tried to leap inside. They could hear her trying to get through, so Zoe ran to the bridge to get them in the air.

They took off and fled for anywhere that wasn't a warzone. Simon found Mal in the kitchen and wanted to get the report. "Captain, what happened?"

"We got a capture. The bug is planted. So's the tracker. We'll have to be sure the equipment works, but I don't see why it wouldn't."

"And my sister?"

Mal ignored the pang of grief in his heart. "The same. Went after Jayne and Zoe."

"Not Mal, though," Jayne commented from his place across the table. He cleaned one of his guns with a blank face. "Don't know why. She jus' won't kill him. I saw her save him and walk off. She could of stuck him with that sword easy, but she pulled a gun on us instead."

"She won't kill you?" Simon asked.

"That seems to be the notion."

Jealousy raged in Simon's eyes. "She's tried to kill me. Her own brother."

"Probably brainwashed her to kill you above the rest of us. They want you dead and they want to be sure she'd kill her family. I conjure that training is too strong for her to ignore."

That made the doctor feel better, so he left to spend time with his wife. Mal went to the bridge to speak to Zoe. "How's our equipment workin'?"

"Beautifully, sir. I can hear everything they're saying. I've started recording it. The tracker works too. They haven't left the planet yet. What should we do while we wait?"

"I have a favor I could call in. I've been waitin' to use it for when we're in over our heads. I think that applies to this situation. We'll hide out there until we're ready to meet with Simon's contact. After that, we're off to get the other half of the info."

She paused and had to ask. "You good?"

"Yeah. It wasn't as bad as I thought. Bein' back out there. I guess the shepherd was right. Believing in something again makes all the difference. It reminded me of when we were young and ready to bring down anybody in our way."

"I wasn't just talking about the war, sir."

His eyes fell and he held a stoic face. "She's in there. We'll get her back."

They went their separate ways and Mal called in his favor. There was a certain companion that he met while dating Inara. He helped her with a possessive client, and she promised that he could call in a favor any time. She lived with one of her clients full-time on a secluded moon, and the man was loaded. He had state of the art security systems. It'd be last place River would know about, or so he hoped, and they'd have protection if she did find them.

The woman was glad to help, so they stayed with her for three days. Her client had a hiding spot for the ship that not even the Alliance could spot, which meant that River was unable to zero in on their location. She knew that they were close, but that was all. In the three days of hiding, they had plenty of audio and visual evidence. They also tracked the ship right back to the base on Newhall. It was time to get moving.

They thanked their hosts and took off for the meeting with Simon's contact. River was waiting in orbit around the planet. It didn't take long until they knew that she was tailing them. The entire crew gathered on the bridge to see what they should do about it. They knew that she wouldn't attack in the black, but as soon as they landed she'd be on them.

"What if we just made it real quick? Landed right on her farm and told her to just do the exchange?" Kaylee suggested.

Zoe solemnly shook her head. "We'd be putting ourselves in a vulnerable spot and endangering everybody on that farm. If she sees them as any kind of threat, they're dead. Maybe even if they aren't a threat. We can't know."

"How about we let myself and someone else take the mule? Serenity could leave the planet for a few minutes to draw her away," Simon offered to the group.

It was Mal's turn to disagree. "She's too smart, doc. You know that. She'll go after the mule instead of the ship and you'd be dead."

"Too bad we can't send decoys or somethin' so she doesn't know who to go after…" Jayne sighed, causing Zoe and Mal to look at each other.

"We can send the shuttles in opposite directions and Serenity in another. There's three worlds real close to each other. If we split, she'd have to pick only one to go after."

Jayne's eyes narrowed in thought. "But, what if she picks the one goin' to the drop?"

"I have it," Simon announced. "She wants to kill me more than the rest of you. Or, so it would seem. She should automatically go for me first. I'll be in the shuttle away from the meet. That should stall her."

"Then we'll do that. Zoe, stay with Kaylee and the ship. Jayne, take Simon and protect him. I'll go to the meet. Once I have the goods, we'll converge on Serenity and get outta here."

Nobody argued. They went to their assorted positions and flew off. Mal checked to find that River was following the other shuttle. He landed on the contact's farm and briskly ran to her door. She opened it and held out the disc. "Everything is there."

"Good. We'll get it out there."

She was suddenly still. All at once, she collapsed to the porch floor. Some sort of darts were in her back. Mal moved to the wall and looked around. Nobody seemed to be there. Could it be River? No. It wasn't. It was a group of Alliance men. He knew because they surrounded him.

"Hand over the information, Reynolds," the highest ranking officer demanded. "Unless you want to be paralyzed beyond repair like you snitch."

"I don't much like your tone."

"Pardon me if I'm impolite. We don't like people making a mess of our government. Hand it over _now_. That disc won't save River Tam."

His eyes burned. "Don't say her name."

"What exactly are you going to do about it? There are sixteen of us and one of you."

"I've had worse odds."

The officer scoffed. "You are going to be a vegetable if you try anything at all. And, for what? To _attempt _to get back the girl you've already lost? What kind of life is that?"

"She ain't lost. Not yet. And this ain't a life without her in it."

He pulled his gun and prepared for the worst.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Chapter Nineteen: Some Rules have to be Bent**_

"Get down!"

Mal heard the distant voice and did as he was told. He crouched just as a mighty explosion surrounded him. His hands automatically covered his head, and he slowly looked to see what had happened. All of the Alliance men had been blown to bits. How did that happen?

"Now, that's a bomb!" a female voice added enthusiastically.

He glanced and his jaw dropped. "I thought you were hit with those paralyzing darts."

Simon's contact gradually got to her feet and showed Mal her back. "I was. My people tipped me off. They knew that I had the information for you, and I knew that they have those new darts. The needles aren't very long. I have a vest on."

"Why didn't you tell me that? Why'd you have to wait and make me think I was as good as dead?"

"I needed them to get into a group so I could use my new bomb. Neat, huh? Come on. More will be on the way. I'll give you a hand."

They went into the humble home and she led him into a secret cellar. The entire room was lined with fancy guns, knives, swords, axes, bombs, and battle gear. Mal whistled. "Alliance must of paid you a fortune."

"No way. This was bought with my money. I have winning horses, remember? Thank Buddha for gambling addicts. Well, not really. That'd be harsh of me to say. Take what you want. You're going to need it. I'm guessing that you're going back to Mr. Universe's place?"

"How'd you know that?" he wondered as he happily started grabbing weapons.

She rolled her eyes. "I know everything. So do the Alliance. They'll be waiting for you, so be ready for a fight."

He finished gathering supplies and sighed. "You confuse me. If you're part of this peaceful Unity thing, how is it you're packin' this much heat?"

"Though I'm a Buddhist and a member of the Unity, some rules have to be bent. They need enforcers for peace at any cost, and I already know I'm not getting to Nirvana anyways. I might as well make a difference and hope I come back as a decent person and not a dung beetle. Now, the Alliance have new weapons and new tactics, yet there's one thing that hasn't changed: their arrogance. Hit them where they live. Get their ships and officers first. Wreck their morale. Then, you'll get your girl and end this war."

"Thanks," he smiled. "What's your name anyhow?"

"Amelia. Hurry out of here before the rest show. I'll handle them."

He laughed and lugged the heavy pack of supplies up the steps. "I'm sure you will."

As he ran for the shuttle, he heard bombs in the background. Smirking, he started for the black and got in touch with Serenity. "I've got it. Meet up as planned. What's your situation?"

"We're fine, sir. River went after Simon and Jayne. They're leading her around, but she's taken a few shots at the shuttle in the hopes it'll crash. They don't have long. Kaylee says that one more hit could cripple their engine."

"Tell them to get back to Serenity now."

Narrowly, everyone returned to Serenity with River in pursuit. Mal told the crew what happened, and they prepared a loose plan. Jayne was like a kid in a candy store with the weapons Amelia gave them, and Zoe was almost as excited. Kaylee merged the data from Amelia with the data they collected. Upon reaching Mr. Universe's moon in a brief amount of time, agitation rose as they got closer to the complex. This was it. This was the moment. It seemed ironic to end the war on the same moon that started it in the first place.

"Remember the plan and your vests," Mal emphasized as they landed. "If the plan goes pear-shaped, remember the basics: don't get took or killed, and get the message all over the cortex. We good?"

Everyone nodded and they carefully lowered the ramp. Jayne and Zoe went first, but the place was still. No one seemed to be around. The complex stood as it always had. Jayne looked to Mal. "You sure they're here, Mal?"

"They're hiding. Waiting on us. Be alert."

Briskly, everyone went towards the complex. They could hear River's ship set down not too far from their location, so they picked up the pace. Just as they reached the door, two Alliance ships appeared from thin air. Simon knew exactly what happened. "They finished their mirrored ships. It's a cloaking sort of device. There could be more of them out there."

"Shiny," Jayne grumbled. "Time for the plan?"

As the Alliance began to shoot, Mal glared at him. "_Yeah_."

Jayne got Kaylee inside of the complex. Zoe stayed on the door so that Mal and Simon could split. Simon went to one of the ships and Mal went to the other. The doctor held his own long enough to toss a _very_ strong explosive onto the ship. He ran as fast as he could and hit the detonator. The ship fell to pieces. Mal did the same thing with the other vessel. It went sky high and the soldiers appeared to pause. Amelia's advice was certainly coming in handy.

Unfortunately, Simon was right. Two more ships popped up on either side of the complex. Mal and Simon made another bomb run, which left them both with plenty of scrapes and bruises this time. No other ships presented themselves, so Simon ran inside to help his wife while Mal and Zoe covered the soldiers. He made sure to shoot the higher ranking officers first. Soon, their small army was left with few commanding officers. They became distracted and disorganized.

However, Mal was concerned about one thing. "Have you seen River?"

"No, sir. Her ship is right behind Serenity. I don't see any activity."

"I don't like that. Not one bit. What is she up to?"

Inside the complex, Kaylee was piecing Mr. Universe's equipment back together. The Alliance had thrashed the backup generator after Miranda. The repair was harder than she thought it'd be, and that equaled more time to fix it. Simon came bounding in and was able to give her a hand, as much as he could, and Jayne stayed alert.

"So far, we're good," he told them with a tiny yawn. "Mal and Zo must be doin' well if we ain't gettin' soldiers in here. Kind of wish I'd swap with Mal. More activity."

"You mean more _Zoe_," Kaylee giggled. "Stop talkin' so I can focus."

He made a face, but Simon could tell that he was blushing. Kaylee's head was buried beneath the console and Simon was on the floor to piece together a chip that had broken. Jayne was picking his fingernails with discontented sighs upon the wobbly walkway. Suddenly, Simon saw something through the glass floor. He stood up with fear in his eyes.

"River's here."

"What? There's only one way in," Jayne disputed as he turned to look.

There, far beneath them within the generator, was River Tam. Since it was wrecked, the fan blades were not spinning. She ran across them and shimmied between cables and wires. Somehow, she slid through a vent to reach the base of the contraption. And, she was clearly coming for a fight. She had guns, a sword, and several knifes attached to her with belts and suspenders. Her purple dress flowed with every motion. Jayne's jaw hung in disbelief.

"Gorram. Look at her go."

"Do something!" Simon cried. "We have to get this done so we can get her back!"

"What do you want me to do? I'll have to shoot her, or slice her, or make her fall—do you want that? This weren't in the plan. Mal was s'pposed to handle River and I was s'pposed to handle the soldiers."

"This is my sister, Jayne. She's trying to kill us and the only way we can hope to get her back is to send this message and wait. She can't stop us before we can stop them."

"How can I stop her? She'll keep comin' unless she's dead!"

Kaylee had enough. "Stop! I am trying to fix this. This ain't a shiny working environment. Just keep River busy, Jayne. And don't hurt the generator. Simon, get back to the chip…" she paused and they blinked at her assertive tone. "Move it!"

Jayne turned and shot at River's hands. She easily dodged the blow and pulled a gun to return fire. Jayne narrowly avoided falling over when she hit the bottom of the wobbly walk. He moved to solid ground and kept shooting. She managed to avoid every single bullet. Jayne almost took a bullet between the eyes, but he ducked just in time. River was moving closer and closer and Jayne couldn't manage to hit her.

So, he called Mal.

"Mal! Gorramit, get in here!"

The captain paused his fire, they were down to the last batch, and answered carefully. "What did you do?"

"What? I didn't do nothing! It's your reader girlfriend. She's in here and she's climbing up the wires to get to us. We ain't nearly finished with the repair. I tried to shoot her, but she's one of them witches that know where I'm gonna aim or somethin'!"

"You _tried to shoot her_?"

"Well, how else am I gonna slow her down? I'll switch with you. Just take care of her."

Mal didn't have to tell Zoe that he was going to go. She kept shooting and Mal ran inside while plucking those special darts from his chest. Thanks again to Amelia for the tips and gear. Once he reached the generator, Jayne ran past him to get outside. Mal leaned over the railings to find River only ten feet from reaching them. Her gun was still drawn, but she didn't point. She only ascended the cables quicker.

"Kaylee?" Mal inquired.

"Almost, Cap'in. Simon's almost done with the chip. Once I revert the flow of the—"

"Yeah, okay. Do that. And quick like. By the way, is this cable important?"

Kaylee glanced. "I don't think so. Seems like it's not connected to anything."

"Good."

Mal cut the cable that River was climbing, and she leapt to another one with ease. He cursed and drew his gun. Like Jayne, he attempted to hit her in an arm or a leg. She dodged and kept moving. He continued to shoot, and it did seem to stall her slightly. Simon handed over the carefully arranged and fused together chip, and Kaylee inserted it. She did a few more things and the fans and screen came to life.

"Kaylee, good work! You're the best!" Mal exclaimed as he briefly embraced her. Simon glared. "Sorry, doc. I didn't mean to touch your wife. Get out of here. Get to Serenity and wait. I'll send this and handle River."

Simon nodded and took Kaylee's hand. They ran off as Mal entered the message and sent it to all screens just as he did before. This time, the Operative wasn't on his tail. River leapt onto the generator with him. She tried to run by him to pursue Simon and Kaylee, but he got into her way. Soon, punches were thrown and kicks were made by both of them.

The captain managed to keep up with the young assassin by some miracle, though her training was about to make things worse. He had stalled her too long and attacked her too much. By default, he was meant to be eliminated. Her hands drew her sword and she prepared to take the swing. Now, Mal knew that she wasn't going to stop. No matter what, he was not going to kill her. How could he live with himself if he did? He couldn't even bear the thought of living without her in general.

So, he stayed still and shut his eyes as River swung the blade.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Chapter Twenty: Is She Back?**_

There was a stinging sensation in his neck, but his head remained firmly attached. Carefully, he opened one eyelid to see why he wasn't dead—not that he was complaining about this fact. River appeared to be frozen. She was like a beautiful porcelain figure caught in time. She held her attack stance, and she held the sword firmly to Mal's flesh. But, nothing moved. Even her eyes refused to blink.

"River?" Mal spoke softly.

Her arm shook slightly at the sound of his voice. He attempted to move away, but the blade slid deeper into his skin. Any sudden movement would force the sword right through him. Either his head would roll or he would bleed to death, and he didn't like anything about those options. Instead, he opted for holding his hands in the air as a sign of surrender. There was something in her face that he saw. Fear? Pain? Remembrance? Whatever it was, it told him that she was fighting herself and he needed to help.

"Sweetheart, it's me. It's your captain. You don't have to do this. I know who you are. You're a person, actual and whole, and you don't have to be their assassin anymore. You're stronger than anybody I've met. If anyone can beat their training, it's you. Just drop the sword, darlin'."

Her hands tightened their grip on her weapon.

"Okay," he relented. "I know you don't like hurting anyone. I know you don't want to do this. You know it too. I know you do. Remember those first two rules of flying? Love and trust. You got them in you, so listen to them. Come home, River. We want you back."

Though her eyes glistened with unshed tears, the sharp blade pushed harder on him. Clearly, his attempts weren't strong enough. Maybe they weren't even the right approach. They stood there in a standoff. He wouldn't look away from her face, and her gaze never faltered. Then, in a flashback, he heard the doctor's words.

_"Love is a funny thing, Captain. It makes a person stronger than they could ever hope to be, but it also makes them the weakest. In my mind, love can do just about anything as long as we use our weakness as a strength."_

Dryly, he prepared his voice for possibly the last words he would ever speak. "I've had something I want to tell you for a long time. It's taken me a while to understand this, but there's this pilot that once told me that we can't change the past…but that doesn't mean our future has to be empty. I knew what that meant, but I didn't want to feel it. I've been scared. Not something I admit. I lost Inara and nearly lost myself. But, there you were. A mite younger. As troubled as me. Someone I didn't want to hurt. Mean old captain like me playing with a sweet girl's heart? No way. Then, I realized that was only a way out. The pure truth is that I'm afraid of you hurting me. Losing you was my greatest fear. And, it's happening. I guess what I'm trying to say in all this rambling is that I…well, I sort of…maybe…who am I kiddin' here? I love you. If it doesn't matter to you, I want you to send my skull rollin' down this hallway."

Silence. He swallowed the knot in his throat and simply waited. This was certainly not the way he wanted to tell her, but maybe it was supposed to happen like it did. Maybe he was supposed to wait so that he could bring her back. He wasn't sure if she heard him. The assassin remained unmoving. A few tears had spilt from her cheeks, and her arm was wavering just enough to be noticeable. Then, it happened.

The clang of the sword ran through the generator. Its sharp point narrowly avoided going through Mal's boot, and River backed away from it until she hit the wall. Her hands covered her ears while her body trembled with sobs. He could see deep lines on her face from the distress, and he figured that she was in a war of her own. The girl had to fight off her training, and apparently Mal had given her the fuel she needed.

He carefully crouched in front of her without touching or reaching to her. She screamed, which caused Mal to jump slightly. Right after that, it was quiet. She stopped shaking. Her eyes fell on Mal's face and she weakly murmured, "Captain?"

"Yeah. It's me. Is it you?"

She faintly nodded before collapsing in a puddle on the ground. He scrambled to pick her up and feel her pulse. Her heart was fine from what he could tell, but she was cool to the touch. His arms gathered her into a neat ball and he took off for the exit. When he got there, Zoe and Jayne had just finished the last few. They had those special projectiles poking from their vests as if they were dart boards. When they heard Mal, they stopped to look.

"River, is she…?" Zoe questioned.

Mal glanced at her peaceful face. "She's back from what I can tell. I need to get her to Simon."

"We'll check the area in case there are more soldiers," Zoe decided as she motioned to Jayne to follow her.

Upon reaching the ship, Simon ran into the cargo bay and right to River. He checked her pulse and felt her temperature. "Is she back?"

"I think. She just passed out."

"The stress probably sent her blood pressure through the roof. Or, it could be some kind of defense program the Alliance engineered. Something to stop them if they escaped their orders. We need to get her into the infirmary."

Mal carried her inside and Simon got to work. The fainting was only from stress and exhaustion, so all she needed to do was sleep. Though they didn't like it, Mal and Simon agreed to restrain her until they knew for certain if she came home. Simon treated the slice in Mal's neck, which only required a few stitches, and Zoe and Jayne returned to check on River as Simon had just finished with Mal. The area was clear, which meant they could stay in place for just a little while.

"You don't have to stay, Captain," Simon informed him softly. "I've given her some soothers so that she can sleep. By the looks of it, she hasn't slept or eaten since her mission. I wanted to get her as much rest as I could. It'll be hours before she regains consciousness. I can keep watch over her."

He shook his head. "I ain't going anywhere."

"Fair enough."

The men sat on either side of her in a somber hush. While they waited, Zoe and Jayne left the ship to visit the graves of Wash and Book. Kaylee spent a lot of time with Simon and Mal, making sure to bring them both food and coffee. Four hours in, Simon was leaning on Kaylee with worry. Mal twiddled his thumbs for the same reason. What if she had just tricked him so she could get on the ship? What if she was only okay for a moment?

Six hours after bringing her home, River began to stir. Mal and Simon stood while Kaylee hid behind her husband, just in case River was actually the assassin and not the pilot. Simon leaned in and whispered, "Mei mei, it's Simon. How are you feeling?"

River's eyes cracked open and she stared at him for a lingering moment. Everyone began to get very nervous. She wasn't talking. She wasn't moving. Then, she groggily yawned. "Simon?"

"Yes. You're back on Serenity. Are you all right?"

"They made her do it," River began to cry. "She didn't want to dance. She didn't want to. Not with her brother. Her family. Had to. Needles in the brainpan. Squish. Squish. Gone. She's back now. Mostly. Pieces of her are broken. Missing. They have them."

Simon looked at her strangely. "They have them?"

"They always will. Memories. Coding. Never gone. Always ready for reactivation…" she paused and glanced at her stomach. "I'm hungry."

The doctor felt tears in his eyes as he hugged his sister tightly. "Welcome home, River. We'll get you something."

Kaylee briskly ran up to River and hugged her close. "Shiny! My sister-in-law is back! It's not the same without you, River. We was so worried."

The married couple exited the infirmary to give Mal some time alone with River. She looked at him and made a peculiar face. "You talked to me. You broke the program."

"Yeah."

"Didn't expect it. Didn't prepare her for it."

It was his turn to have a weird expression. "Didn't prepare for what?"

"You. What did you say?"

His heart sunk. "You don't remember?"

"Too blurry. Just know the feeling. Felt like…warmth. Entirety. Unequivocal joy."

"Oh, well, I just said…" he took a breath and quickly spit it out. "Iloveyou."

She blinked. "Talked too fast. What did you say?"

"Hey, moonbrain!" Jayne exclaimed as he bounded into the infirmary.

Mal huffed. Why? Why couldn't he just say those three little words without it getting all sorts of messed up?

"I see you're here," Jayne gruffly commented as he lightly patted her on the shoulder. "You scare the hell out of me sometimes, but it's good to get the gorram pilot back. This ship ain't flyin' right without you at the controls."

She smiled at her unusual friend. "Good to be home, girl's name."

"Oh, ha-ha. Zoe wanted me to tell you that she'll be down later. She…uh…she needs a few minutes."

Mal completely understood. "It's hard seeing your husband's grave, I conjure."

"Yeah. She ain't over him," Jayne responded without emotion.

"You two ain't…anymore?" Mal wondered.

Jayne smirked. "Na, it's not that. We're not gonna really _try_ for anything or nothin'. Just gonna see what might happen is all. Nice and slow-like. I wouldn't want to step on Wash's shoes. I got respect for him."

"Jayne…" Mal chuckled. "You're gettin' soft on me."

"You take that back, Mal!"

He shook his head. "Go upstairs and write a real sweet love song for your girl. Maybe bake her a cake with a poem written on it. You'd be good at it, the way you've gotten. All fuzzy like."

Grumbling, Jayne stalked off and Mal was left with River. He went to open his mouth, and Simon and Kaylee returned with food. Mal excused himself and went to his bunk. Cursing, he plopped down on his bed with force. It shouldn't be so hard to tell someone something so important. Of course, in the face of death he was willing to say it, but now the nerves were getting to him again. What if she didn't remember because she didn't want to? Then again, it did bring her back and she did say that it made her feel good things. He decided with resolve that he _had _to tell her as soon as possible.

Thus, near bedtime, he went to the infirmary. Nobody other than River was there. He checked the cargo bay, passenger dorms, and the stairs. Nobody. No more interruptions. No more excuses. He took a deep breath and walked right into the infirmary. River looked up from a book and smiled at him. He momentarily forgot where he even was at that stunning sight.

"Come here," she commanded while patting the space beside her.

He went and uncomfortably tried to join her on the table. She slid onto his lap so they'd fit, and he cleared his throat and hoped the intoxicating feeling of having her back in his arms wouldn't cloud his mind. "River, I have to say—"

"Read," she interrupted as she held the book to him. "So I can sleep."

"I'm really tryin' to talk here."

"Tomorrow," she assured him. "Too exhausted. Please read. I want to hear your voice."

Smiling softly, he looked at the cover of the book. _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. _That was so very River.

Upstairs, the others gathered in the kitchen for a snack. Suddenly, Jayne had a realization. "Has anybody heard 'bout the messages we sent?"

"They're talking about it all over the Cortex," Simon confirmed. "No one knows what's going to happen just yet."

"Let's hope we aren't targeted because of what we've done this time," Zoe sighed. "That'd be our luck."

Jayne haughtily scoffed. "If it's anythin' like those sorry excuses we've seen so far, we can take 'em just fine."

"The important thing is that we got River back. That's really all we wanted," Kaylee brightly reminded everyone.

Zoe chuckled to herself. "And that brings our captain back."

"I say they're gettin' together!" Kaylee decided.

"I don't know. It wouldn't really be a good time, given all that she's been through…" Simon disputed.

Jayne howled with laughter. "Who are we kiddin' here? They've _been _together. They just don't know it yet. Zoe and I still have our bet. Who wants in?"

"I'll say they won't," Simon smirked with certainty.

Kaylee scoffed. "They will."

"Now this bet is getting interesting," Jayne chuckled.

Downstairs, River had drifted into sleep against Mal's chest. He carefully readjusted her hair and wanted to wake her just to admit his feelings. But, maybe it wasn't the right time. Maybe he had to wait some more. However, he wasn't sure if he could handle it…


	21. Chapter 21

_**Chapter Twenty-one: So…**_

In the morning, Mal moved before anyone saw them together. It was a mutual decision to stop by Amelia's horse farm to return her weapons and extra explosives. Plus, she'd have an inside track for them. If they were going to be hunted by the New Independents and Alliance, they needed a heads-up.

Upon arriving at the farm only hours later, they found bullet holes, burn marks, explosive-made craters, and paralyzing darts stuck in the door. Simon knocked while Jayne and Mal poked around. Nobody seemed to be home. Then, they heard the unmistakable gallop of a horse. Amelia appeared behind a fence with a few scrapes and a wide smile.

"There they are. Serenity's crew. And, no casualties. No wonder the Alliance feared you all these years. You have done a wonderful thing. Really, quite impressive."

Mal nodded with gratitude. "Thank you, Amelia. I see you made it through their assault in one piece."

"Mostly," she smiled as she swung her left leg over the saddle. Her hands grabbed a collapsible crutch and she leapt to the ground awkwardly. "One of their darts got me in the leg. They only paralyze your body quickly if they get you in the chest. I managed to pull the thing out before the stuff spread. I think one leg is a small price to pay for ending a destructive war. I got my horses to take me where I need to go anyway."

"So, we did it? We ended it?" Simon wondered.

She grinned excitedly. "Both sides have lost support. The Unity has revealed our stance and our followers, and we're growing stronger by the minute. It's a little early to tell, but my sources say the war should only last another three months at the most. It's amazing how quickly the damage spread. As soon as the evidence was released, that was it. Suppliers, funders, soldiers, enablers—everyone is jumping ship on either side. In just one day, you managed to stop something that could have gone on for years. Incredible what a signal can do."

"That's good to hear. Have you heard anything about our ship bein' a target?" Mal questioned.

"Not a damn thing. Everyone is scrambling to pick up the pieces of their organizations. You are the last thing on their minds. They might come for revenge someday, but you're in the clear for now."

Kaylee timidly raised her hand like a kid in class. "So, what's gonna to happen to the new Reavers? Or the girls in the Academy?"

"My people have employed a group of fighters…call themselves _Reaver Hunters_. They'll wipe every Reaver from the Verse. As for the Academy, they are going to be forced to end the program. The parents and families of those girls are going to take them for every dime they have. There's no choice but to end the training and return the girls for good."

"Sounds like we did a good job, sir," Zoe discreetly smiled.

He beamed in response. "That seems to be the notion."

Amelia paused and hobbled to River. "Well, isn't this something? River Tam right before my eyes. Last time I saw you in person, you were in a cryobox. Before that, I only saw your sessions on film. It's good to see that they've gotten you back. How'd they do it?"

"The Alliance underestimates the power of relationships," River explained. "Thank you."

"You are most welcome. I have the left over money from this adventure. I'll pass it back to you so you can do something fun. Take a little vacation or something."

Amelia received her supplies and they received the change from her transactions. It wasn't a lot, but it was a decent enough portion. They said their goodbyes and returned to the ship to discuss how they should use their money. The contact was right: they needed something fun. In a flash, the idea came to Kaylee.

"Let's get hitched for real, Simon!"

Nobody disagreed. A wedding was a perfect occasion to relax and enjoy something beautiful. They chose to get married in a cherry blossom garden on Dyton, so the arrangements were made. The day of the event, the girls disappeared to get ready while the men tried to get into their suits. Simon was the only successful one, given his Core background, whereas Jayne looked so very comical all dressed up. Mal figured he was somewhere between Simon's tidiness and Jayne's hilarity.

The cherry blossom garden was absolutely stunning. There was a polite older gentleman to officiate the ceremony, and the only guests were various monks and nuns from nearby religious establishments. Mal couldn't take his eyes off River, who was in a gorgeous orange dress like both of the other ladies, and Jayne had the same issue focusing on anything other than Zoe. Mal faintly heard her whisper to him, _"I could so hurt you."_

When it began, Simon and River walked down the pink petal aisle and took their places. Jayne and Zoe were next, and it was quite amusing to see Jayne attempt to walk in the suit. Then, Mal walked Kaylee down and took his place next to Jayne. Their vows were exchanged, and Mal held eye contact with River the entire time. Maybe one day it'd be them.

"You are now married," the older man declared.

Simon and Kaylee shared a semi-inappropriate kiss, and that was the end. The guests applauded as the entire crew left the cherry blossom garden to celebrate in a nearby restaurant. Everyone laughed and told stories, completely forgetting the ordeal they had just experienced. As the joint opened a dance floor, Simon and Kaylee had their first dance as an actual married couple. Jayne pulled Zoe by the hand to join them, and she followed without complaint.

"Some wedding," Mal commented to River, who had sat right beside him.

"Very pink. I have petals in my hair."

He chuckled and picked a few hiding petals from her long locks. "I reckon that you'll be pickin' them out for a week."

"Highly improbable. Two days, seven hours, and twenty-six minutes would be a more appropriate estimate. Lead."

"What?"

She snatched him by his collar and dragged him to the dance floor and they moved around in lazy circles. After some time, the married couple went off to a cheap hotel for the evening and Zoe asked if she could buy Jayne a drink. He accepted and they went to the nearest bar, which was a good hour from the quaint and religious area. That left River and Mal alone in the ship for most of the night. Yes, _alone_. Without interruptions. While they walked back to the ship, Mal practiced his speech a million times in his head. It wouldn't be the same as before, but he figured it didn't matter how he said it as along as he did.

"Must remove a vast proportion of the petals from my hair," River told him while briskly moving toward her room.

He smirked fondly and quickly went to his bunk. After ditching the monkey suit and freshening up, he went to the bridge and cut off the intercom temporarily. He checked that all entrances were locked and that nobody had come back to the ship without him knowing. It was clear, so he tried to easy his nerves and locate his pilot.

Gently, he knocked on her door. "River?"

No answer. He looked in the other rooms and the infirmary. Where was she? He entered the cargo bay and glanced around crates, calling again, "River?"

Her upside-down face appeared directly in front of his. "Captain?"

"What in ruttin' hell are you doing?" he wondered.

"Hanging from the railings on the catwalk."

"That ain't safe."

"Then come up here and keep me safe."

Huffing, he went to the catwalk where she had righted herself on the railings. He sat beside her just as he had done once before. They idly swung their feet and he plucked up the courage to ask, "Can I tell you something?"

"Always."

"Well, before, when I talked to you on Mr. Universe's moon…I told you something. Something important. Something I've been runnin' from. See, the way it is…the way things are…I…" he paused, mentally kicking himself for messing up everything he planned to say. So, he blurted it out. "I love you."

She smiled and set her head on his shoulder. "I've known."

"Known?"

"That you loved me. Never heard you say it. Needed to hear it. Thought you may have told me before by how I felt and how strong I felt it. You need me. I need you. The Verse needed us. A firefly in the war. Caught lighting the darkness. We were supposed to stop the fighting. You sent that message for me. Thought it'd bring me back if you couldn't. Ending the war was only a bonus."

He smirked. "Yeah."

"But you did it on your own. Saved me. Thank you."

"No problem," he cleared his throat. There was long pause and he had to know. "Do you…you know…feel the same way about me that I do you?"

She gave him a typical River look. "Always have. Why do you think I never tried to kill you?"

"Well, I don't know."

"I promised that I'd always protect you. They didn't know I love you. They knew I love Simon. Wrote a stronger program so I wouldn't feel. But, I felt you. I felt you and I couldn't hurt you. Never."

His heart filled with relief and joy. "So…"

"So."

"Does this mean we're?"

"Yes."

"And you'll start calling me?"

"Mal."

"I like how you say that."

"Thank you, Captain."

"No more of that."

"Yes, Captain."

She laughed at the look on his face. They were pulled into each other's gravity, and they shared a tender kiss. That led to another and a mutual decision to make some coffee and sit up talking together in his bunk. He held on tightly as she went through some old Earth-that-was literature. It was several hours later when the intercom fuzzed with panic.

"Sir? Sir, is everything all right? The intercom was off and everything was locked down."

Mal was too comfortable to move, and so was River. However, she was able to somehow reach the intercom with her foot. She called, "We're fine."

They went back to their reading while Zoe and Jayne looked at each other on the bridge. Jayne smugly basked in his victory. "I knew it! I've been sayin' it! Now, you _and _the doc owe me!"

"Okay, you were right. I'm a little surprised, but not by much. At least, now we don't have to worry about them blubbering like children in the schoolyard."

"Nobody's got to worry about that stuff anymore."

They smiled and linked hands to go clean their guns. Simon and Kaylee were enjoying their honeymoon _very_ much. The captain and his pilot fell asleep tangled in each other. For the first time, a new government was being put into place as the war ended. Everything was as it should be.

In the morning, Simon and Kaylee returned home to find Mal and River sitting next to each other. His arm was across her shoulders, and Jayne's arm was across the back Zoe's chair. When the newlyweds got to the table, Mal and River were sharing a kiss.

Simon saw the captain and his sister, shouting, "River!"

They paused and she stated simply, "We're a couple now."

As they resumed kissing, Jayne held out his hand. "Pay up, doc."

Everyone settled their bets before Kaylee and Simon joined the other couples at the breakfast table. Earnestly, Zoe and Jayne felt as though they were eating alone. The others at the table were busy using their mouths for other purposes. Jayne got an idea from their examples.

"Wanna kiss, Zo?"

She smirked and merely took his hand. "In good time, Jayne. I think there's enough of that at this table for now."

He grinned and returned to his protein mush. Yes, everything was most certainly as it should be.

_**End**_

_A/N: Thank you for reading! It has been quite a while since I have written a Firefly story. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it._


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